Bunnies of Love
by Raging Tachikoma
Summary: Ichigo x Rukia,a humorous story that watches as realtionships that have already been through so much are taken to the next level. Woo Hoo! Chapter 14 is up and hopefully the next one won't take so long
1. Advice

Bunnies of Love

A Bleach Fan Fiction

Lemon, Ichigo x Rukia and maybe some others along the way. This my first attempt at a fan fic so please read and review, hope you enjoy. Post SS arc but largely spoiler free.

Raging Tachikoma

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I do not own Bleach, etc etc. boilerplate copyright stuff.

Warning, this story is rated M and is not meant for those below the age of 17 or the age of majority where you live, you have been warned. Lemony goodness ahead.

Bunnies of Love

"What the hell should I do?" Ichigo thought to himself, "If I just come out and say who knows how she will react, besides that just isn't my style. What I need is someone to get some advise from, but who?"

"Dad? **No, hell no** I would never hear the end of it and god only knows what that freak would suggest."

"Chad? No, while he is a great friend it would be like asking a brick wall, ten words form Chad was a fairly lengthy conversation."

"Ishida?" Shudder, "no out of the question."

"Kon? Yeah right maybe if I want everyone I know to find out and, worse spill it to Rukia before I can talk to her."

"Orihime? No, she still has some feelings for me and it would be cruel to ask her for help."

"Tatsuki? Well she would be willing to listen, and she wouldn't give me an endless amount of crap about it, and can actually give me advice that won't get me killed or made a laughing stock around school, so I guess I should go see her."

Hmm its about 3:45, Tatsuki's practice should be over in a few minutes, and I'll cath her on her way home. If I leave now I should be able to talk to her for at least an hour or so before she head home.

"Yuzu I am going out for awhile, I should be back around five or so."

"Wait Iichigo, can you pick up some milk on your way home?"

"Sure, I'll see you later."

Now, to find Tatsuki, where could she be? Ahh, there she is coming out of that convenience store. " Hey Tatsuki!!"

"Oh, hi Ichigo, I didn't expect to see you today, what's up."

"Well actually I need some advice and you were the only person I thought would help me out with out busting my balls over what I need."

"So, you need my advice," Tatsuki could tell that Ichigo was none to comfortable talking to her about this in public even if to most other people he was a closed book, she had just known him too long for him to be able to hide his emotions completely, "all right lets go some place a bit more private and we can talk."

"So what is it you want to talk to me about?" Tatsuki asked as she shut her bedroom door. "Don't worry my parents won't be back for a couple of hours so we shouldn't be interrupted."

"Well you see I need to find out if someone...ahh...umm"

"You need to find out if someone feels the same way about you as you feel about them right?"

"Yeah that's it," Ichigo admitted, somewhat reluctantly.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...Man I thought this day would never come, so who is it, Rukia right?"

"Well yeah it is her, I need to figure out to ask her without making an ass of myself."

"So your finally going to make all those rumors at school true huh, well all you need to do is be honest and tell her the truth and I think it should go just fine." So Ichigo is finally moving things along, it certainly took him long enough. Tatsuki smiled slightly to herself and thought about her own relationships or lack there of. She had tried but the demands of school and practice just kept getting in the way. "But still you should probably try and set the mood right, and a gift, you should get her a gift."

"My other worry is what about Orihime? I know she likes me, I don't want to hurt her or our friendship but I worry that she will be hurt when she finds out."

"Well she will be disappointed, but if you tell her before anyone else does I am sure she will understand, she's just too nice to be jealous of you and Rukia."

"Tatsuki, thanks for everything I need to go."

"See you later Ichigo, or should that be lover boy Kurosaki."

"..."

"Oh don't give me that look, be honest you came to me because you knew I would tease you the least."

"Anyway I'll see you on Monday"

"Well well," Tatsuki thought that boy is luckier than he knows, to have so many good looking girls interested in him. Tatsuki had thought about the possibilities between herself and Ichigo but she was not interested enough to risk there friendship on something that probably wouldn't last. If only there was a guy in her life right now, or a girl for that matter. Oh well, that's why humans have opposable thumbs I guess.

Tatsuki sighed and slipped a hand down the front of her pants and began to absentmindedly rub herself, loving the soft silky feeling of her warm juices flowing onto her lips and hand. As she became lost in the warm pleasure spreading over her body she was jolted back into reality.

"Tatsuki, were home."

She quickly straightened her clothes and went to her bathroom to wash her hands ans she replied. "I will be down in just a minute mom." Damn, why did this always happen, well I guess I will just have to wait until they go to bed.


	2. Shopping, Hollows and Bad Timing

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 2

"What the hell am I gonna get for a gift, why is this so hard it's not like it has to be perfect or anything, just think of what she likes." Ichigo thought to himself, "hmm what does she like, I know she likes dresses like Yuzu wears, and bunnies. Damn if I want that I will have to go see Urahara, and he will know who it's for in an instant, but he is the only one around here to have what I need. But first the dress."

Ichigo hated having to buy clothes for someone else, wether it was for his sisters or someone else. Still since Yuzu and Rukia were the same size finding a dress for Rukia was the easy part, he found a nice grey and purple dress that would look great on Rukia he thought but now he could no longer put off what he had been dreading.

"Hey, Jinta is Urahara around?"

"Yeah, I'll get him for you, **HEY BOSS KUROSAKI WANTS TO SEE YOU"**

"Hello Ichigo what can I do for you today?" Kisuke Urahara asked a little too innocently for Ichigo's liking.

"I need you get me something but let's talk about this in private."

"So that is all you need, no problem but to get it as quick as you need it will cost you."

"Fine, just get it by seven, I will be back for it then."

"Don't worry I am man of my word after all, I did make you a soul reaper again didn't I, and you know I sell only the finest in merchandise here. So who is it for anyway?"

Damn, Ichigo hated it when Urahara gave him that look, he knew the answer but was going to make him say it out loud just to make life hard on him. "Rukia, as if you didn't already know." There I said it now maybe I could escape. "Also I need a small favor to ensure that things go off without a hitch."

"Of course I knew, so what is the favor you need anyway."

"I need you to take Kon off of my hands for tonight so he doesn't get in the way or make some god awful scene."

"That shouldn't be a problem at all just bring him buy when you come to get your stuff, just make sure you take good care of Rukia, you wouldn't want that brother of her's making life more difficult for you."

"Just...look I'll be back at seven."

"All right, good luck then."

Now I just have to get through dinner and then get away for maybe half an hour and this should all come off without a hitch, "Damn, I had better get that milk and hurry or Yuzu will be a real pain.

"That will be 350 yen please."

"Here you go" Ichigo wondered how things would go tonight, as he absentmindedly gave a 500 yen coin to the clerk when suddenly the medallion is hi pocket began to shout " HOLLOW! HOLLOW! HOLLOW!" "Keep the change, damn why now." He fumed as he ran to the alleyway behind the store and transformed.

At least this one seems to be fairly weak judging form the spiritual pressure. As he rounded the corner he saw the hollow, it was a good eight feet or so tall with what appeared to be a series of overlapping armored plates down it's back with and almost insect looking mask with three red lines radiating from each eye . "It's time for you to go back to where you belong."

"Do not think it will be so easy do defeat me boy." The hollow boomed as it turned and swung it's now revealed tail at him, a tail that was covered in large, jagged spikes. Ichigo jumped over the tail and swung his zanpakuto at the beast's ungainly neck and was surprised to see it bounce off leaving a most assuredly nonfatal gash.

"Damn!!" Ichigo spun in midair using his momentum to carry himself over the hollow and landed directly in front it and with a single upward thrust he ran his Zangetsu through its neck and snapped his sword back neatly bisecting its head and dispatching the troublesome creature, what happened next surprised Ichigo, for it was only the second time he had seen it happen. With a thunderous crash the gates of hell appeared and sprung open with a terrifying screech and the hollow was dragged into the depths as the gates slammed shut and faded from view.

Well that was easy enough now to get my body and head on home

"Yuzu I'm back, and I've got the milk you wanted."

"Oh thank you Ichigo, dinner will be ready in a few minutes, would you please tell Rukia and Karin."

"No problem." Now too just make it through dinner and then to slip off to Urahara's to get rid of Kon and pick up the other half of his gift to Rukia.

"Hellooooo!! Ichigoo..mmmff."

"Damm it dad can't I ever walk through the door without being attacked, this is getting old." Ichigo muttered as he stopped his father mid kick and threw him to the ground none to gently.

Ichigo managed to get through dinner with out to much trouble, except that he kept checking the clock and went up to his room as soon as possible that courtesy would allow. "Kon where are you?"

"Under here, I was hiding from Yuzu again."

"Well come here were going out for a while."

"Where are we going, will there be girls?"

"It's a surprise, you'll find out when we get there. Now just get into my backpack already."

"Were here," Ichigo remarked as he pulled Kon form his bag.

"Here, what the hell is going on!! I demand answers!!"

"Look it is no big deal I will explain everything in the morning when I pick you up alright. And your not listening to me now are you. Hi Yoruichi."

"Hey Ichigo, here is what you ordered, it looks great. You'll need to tell me how it goes tomorrow."

"Yeah I guess so, well see you later then."

Ichigo shimmied up the pipe to his bedroom window and pulled himself inside. After shutting the window he sat on the bed looking at what he hoped would be something that Rukia would treasure for a long time to come. "I guess I can't put this off any longer." Ichigo got up and walked over to the closet and pulled the door back, only to remember that Rukia was staying in Karin and Yuzu's room, fortunately it was early and they would still all be up. He went out into the hall and heard Karin and Yuzu talking in the living room so he decided to check their room first. He knocked twice on the door.

"Come in Ichigo." Rukia casually remarked to the door behind her.

"Umm, Rukia can we go into my room and talk for a little while."

"Sure, I don't see why not."

Rukia wondered what was bothering Ichigo, he seemed very distracted and preoccupied as they went into his room and she sat down the bed looking up at Ichigo. "What do you need to talk about? If is about what happened the other..."

"Rukia," Ichigo said as he cut her off, "there is something I have to tell you, I am still not entirely how to say this but , I like you, no I love you and I want to know if you fell the same way. Oh these are for you" he added as he handed her a bag with her gifts inside.

"Uhh, well I, uhh" Rukia stammered as she opened the bag and looked at the dress, "Oh Ichigo its beautiful, thank yo..." she stopped mid sentence seeing what was hidden below the dress "yes,"she whispered as she began to cry "I feel the same, I don't think anyone has ever given me a better gift." As she looked down onto the stuffed Chappy plush toy with the embroidered message Rukia I Love You, Ichigo.

Ichigo was surprised at how quickly Rukia crossed the room and swept him up into a hug that seemed to last for an eternity. He looked down into her blue eyes and she stared up at him and with no further prompting he kissed her and was overwhelmed by how right it felt as their mouths seemed to become one. As he became lost in the moment his tongue probing the wonders of Rukia's mouth they were brought crashing back to earth all too soon.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Damn it! There's a hollow and it's close we need to get going."

"Fine lets get this over with so we can get back to what we were doing earlier." Ichigo gave Rukia a quick kiss as she went to get her soul candy and leave her gigai behind so no one would suspect that she had gone out. "Why in the hell can't these things happen some other time?"


	3. Rescues and Rewards

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 3

"Why now, when we were finally able to have a moment to ourselves, to say that we love each other." Rukia fumed to herself. "Still at least I know how he feels now, hopefully we can deal with this hollow in a hurry and get back home." Rukia turned an looked at Ichigo who was following behind her as they ran toward the hollow. "It should be just around this next corner."

"I don't think it should be too much trouble, we shou..." Ichigo trailed off as he suddenly felt a familiar spiritual pressure. "Rukia, its Tatsuki."

"I know we had better hurry."

As they rounded the corner the were confronted by a massive hollow that stood towering over an injured Tatsuki. "Now I will eat your soul you insolent little girl." " AHHHHH," the hollow cried as Ichigo sprang upward and severed the hollows right arm which had been reaching out toward Tatsuki.

"Rukia get Tatsuki out of here." Ichigo bellowed as he jumped to avoid a swipe by the hollows remaining arm, noticing that its' hand bore large, sharp claws that left deep gashes in the wall of the store behind him.

"Rukia is that you?" Tatsuki muttered before slipping into unconsciousness.

Looking over he saw that Rukia had pulled Tatsuki clear of the fight and was now holding her zanpakuto, ready to either defend Tatsuki or strike at the hollow. It seemed a strange time to feel that familiar warmth in his chest as he couldn't help but admire Rukia at a time like this. Ichigo watched as the hollow paced back and forth, unsure as to wether it should strike at Ichigo or Rukia. It turned to look at Ichigo revealing itself to a particularly ugly foe with snake like eyes and red stripes descending for above either ear and converging between its eyes. Slipping to his left Ichigo ducked down and slid underneath the hollow stabbing it in the stomach and distracting it. "Rukia now!!"

With out even needing to be prompted Rukia ran forward and severed the hollows head from its body which rolled across the pavement before dissipating with the rest of the hollow. "We had better take care of Tatsuki before anyone else shows up." Rukia looked over at Tatsuki's unconscious form and wondered if what she had heard earlier was accurate or not, well there was only one way to find out. Rukia walked over to Tatsuki and kneeled down beside her, "Bakudo number 55, awake."

"Unnnhh, damn, Rukia is that you, Ichigo, why are you to wearing those clothes you look ridiculous."

Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other, this was going to be a problem, if she could see them in their soul reaper forms then there was no point in erasing her memory, as sooner or later she would see them in this form again. "Look lets get you out of here and we can explain what is going on after we take care of your injuries." Ichigo said as he helped Tatsuki up off of the pavement.

With help from Rukia Tatsuki managed to walk with them back to Ichigo's house. Where they now had to find a way of getting Tatsuki through his bedroom window, which they had left open. "Grab hold of me Tatsuki," Ichigo ordered, after Tatsuki had gotten a firm hold on Ichigo's back he scrambled up the drain pipe and slipped through the window setting Tatsuki on his bed.

Tatsuki was relieved to be safe, and in a familiar place but was suddenly confronted with a new surprise in a night already full of surprises. She was staring at one Ichigo standing next to his desk looking at a cell phone and another slumped over apparently asleep in a chair. "Just what the hell is going on here?" Tatsuki demanded.

"I'll explain everything once Rukia gets here."

"Well you might as well start explaining, or do you want me do it." Rukia wryly remarked as she gently landed at the foot of Ichigo's bed.

"I think I should handle at least the first part of this, if there is something I can't answer you can take over fro me. So what do you want to know?"

"What the hell was that thing that attacked me, what are doing there and there," Tatsuki asked indicating the two Ichigo's in front of her, "and just what are you?"

"Well to start at the beginning I am soul reaper, so is Rukia, as for what attacked you, that is a creature called a hollow. They are souls that have failed to pass on to the soul society and have turned to eating other souls, of the living or dead to survive. Our job is destroy them and to send other souls to soul society by preforming konso ,I am actually a substitute soul reaper, I took over for Rukia when she lost her powers protecting me from a hollow last year, and since she got her powers back we have been responsible for destroying hollows in this area. As for that," Ichigo said as he pointed to is body, "is just what it seems, it is my body, what you see right now is my kanpaku, or soul which leaves my body when I become a soul reaper, Rukia's gigai is in her room right now too."

"Gigai, what is that?"

"An artificial body that soul reapers inhabit when the have to interact with those on the living plane, or when we lose our powers and have to recover enough to go back to the soul society. Is there anything else that you would like to know?"

"Not really, but what are we going to do about my injuries?"

"I will take care of that right now," Rukia said as she walked over toward Tatsuki, "Bakudo number 43, healing art." Rukia intoned as she put her hands on Tatsuki's injured right arm and pulled it away a moment later to reveal a completely healed arm where there had been a series of deep gashes from the hollow's claws. "You will need to be more careful from now on, since you can see us, and hollows your spiritual powers will make you a more attractive target to hollows, let me see your left hand, Bakudo number 43, there that should take care of everything."

"If I am going to be at risk of being attacked again I will need to learn some way of defending myself from these hollow things, but how can I do that?" Tatsuki looked to Ichigo and Rukia, needing an answer, as she had never had to rely on others for protection and she never wanted to feel as powerless as she had earlier when the hollow had attacked her and she had been sure she was going to die until Ichigo and Rukia had shown up. She was simply not the type of person to rely on someone else.

"There isn't anything we can do but we know someone who might be able to help, we will take you to see him tomorrow. Meet us in front of the fountain in Karakura park around noon and will go see him." Rukia glanced at Ichigo as she spoke and he gave a slight nod of ascent, knowing that they would be going to see Urahara the next day. "Do you think you can make it home on your own or do you want one of us to go with you?"

"I think I should be ok, and I need some time to absorb all of this."

"Well then I am going to go get back into my gigai, I'll see you tomorrow then."

Rukia walked out of the room and shut the door behind her, which gave Tatsuki a chance to ask something that been on her mind since she had gone out to get some juice earlier in the evening which had ended with her being attacked and saved and still not having any juice. "So how did it go with Rukia anyway?" As she asked she noticed that there was now a single Ichigo in the room and she noticed the dress and stuffed bunny on the bed next to her.

"Pretty well, real well in fact, until we were interrupted by the call about the hollow. Thank you for the advice Tatsuki, if it weren't for you I don't think I would have ever gotten the nerve up to ask, and I don't think I could have been able to stand the tension between us if I didn't know one way or the other."

"If that's the case I'll get out of your hair and let you two have a chance to be together, well see you tomorrow." With that Tatsuki got up and headed toward the window.

"You don't have to do that, just go on out through the front, the door will lock behind you." Ichigo smiled to himself, Tatsuki would never change, always trying to do everything herself, even if it wasn't strictly necessary. "Don't worry about dad or my sisters it would take an earthquake to wake them once their asleep."

"Thank you Ichigo." With that Tatsuki slipped out the door and headed for home.

Ichigo sat down on his bed and wondered if there would be anything Urahara or Yoruichi would be able to do to help Tatsuki. He certainly hoped so, they had yet to let him down. As he began to get lost in his thoughts he was pulled back to the here and now as Rukia came back into the room, softly shutting the door behind her. Ichigo was taken aback by the Rukia that was standing before him, she was absolutely stunning. She was dressed in a grey and blue negligee that set off the color of her eyes and seemed to enhance every curve and every line of her small and delicate frame. Ichigo was at a loss for words and could only mutter "Rukia..."

"I'm glad you like it, I have had it for awhile but I haven't gotten a chance to wear it since I have been staying with your sisters, it just seemed a bit too risque." Rukia smiled as she took in the man before her, the man she loved, from his unruly orange hair to his brown eyes or his gentleness that was hidden beneath his gruff exterior. She sat down on the bed next to Ichigo and wrapped her arms around him, and he reciprocated. "I could stay like this forever, but I think maybe we should pick up were we left off."

"I thought you would never ask." And with that Ichigo turned Rukia toward him and kissed her forehead and then sweeping aside the hair that always fell across her face and looked into those beautiful blue eyes and whispered "I love you Rukia Kuchki, and I have ever since you protected me all those months ago." Ichigo pulled her down into a kiss that seemed to make all the troubles of the world melt away, he slid his hands along Rukia's back feeling the way she breathed and moved, he slipped one his hands up underneath the negligee and took one of Rukia's small pert breasts into his hand and marveled at it softness as he began to gently squeeze causing Rukia to moan into his mouth.

"Mmmmm, Ichigo don't stop." she mumbled into Ichigo's mouth as she found the bottom of his shirt and began to pull it off of him, their kiss being broken only long enough to remove his shirt and send it flying into the chair in front of the desk. Rukia ran her hands across Ichigo's muscular chest, feeling the way his muscles smoothly slid across each other, his otherwise flawless physique being marred by a large scar that she knew to have been caused by her brother. Still to her he was perfect. She sighed as Ichigo continued to explore her breasts with his hands, alternating between kneading them and playing with her nipples, he then pulled his mouth away from hers and slid the negligee down off of Rukia's shoulders, alowing him to take one of her nipples into his mouth, lightly niping it and flicking it with his tongue. He looked up at Rukia and looked into her eyes as he lowered her back onto the bed and pulled the negligee off, sending it to join his shirt. He then slipped his fingers into the sides of Rukia's panties and slipped the down her smooth, delicate legs, he paused to take in the beautiful woman on his bed, and marveling in the fact that she was his and his alone. With that he lowered his head and began to kiss his way up her thighs, coming ever so close to his goal but making her wait for it until it seemed that he would never go any further he lightly kissed the outside of her smooth outer lips, stroking from top to bottom with his tongue.

"Mmmmmm, Ichigo that feels wonderful." Using his hands he spread her apart and let his tongue explore Rukia's inner most depths, reveling the taste of her juices, sweet and flowery, taking in every little moan and movement. He slowly explored every part of her womanhood, noting what got the most response and being rewarded with more and quicker moaning until Rukia suddenly cried out in bliss as she reached her peak, muffling her cry with a pillow. As she came down from the heights of bliss which she had not known in such a long time. Rukia then decided it was time to take control, she rolled Ichigo over and began to unbutton his pants, and soon his pants and underwear had found their way to the chair in front of the desk. She straddled Ichigo looking into his eyes as she lowered herself onto him.

For his part Ichigo had never known a feeling so wonderful, so absolutely pleasurable as the warm tight confines of Rukia's womanhood. He moaned out loud as Rukia began to slowly ride up and down as he felt the pleasure and tension building within him. And with a thrust he grabbed Rukia and brought their mouths together as he found his release and let his cries become muffled in Rukia's mouth.

Rukia collapsed onto Ichigo's chest and whispered, "I love you Ichigo Kurosaki, and I want to stay with you forever."

"Why are you crying Rukia?"

"Because I am happy, and I don't want this moment to end but I know it must, too soon we will be back in a world of hollows and other enemies and I just want this peace to last."

Ichigo held Rukia close to him as he told her, "It doesn't matter that this moment can't last so long as we can have more moments like this in the future." He then reached down and wiped the tears form her face, and kissed her forehead.

"I guess that will have to do, until then I had better get back to my bed unless you want Yuzu to find me in here in the morning."

"Hmm, I guess you should go in there for now, goodnight Rukia." Ichigo said reluctantly, he would much rather sleep with her in his arms but he knew that to do so would be to make even more problems for himself. He rather enjoyed watching Rukia slipping back into her lingerie before leaving the room. Ichigo, got up and pulled on his own pajamas and crawled back into bed and fell into the most restful sleep he had had since returning from the soul society.

While all that had been happening Tatsuki had made her way home with seemingly a thousand different thoughts bouncing around her head about what she had learned and what it might all mean. But what amazed her the most was the fact that Kurosaki was apparently a hopeless romantic if that bunny had been anything to go by. Still she knew that they would make a great couple and began to consider her own romantic prospects, which at the moment were bleak to be frank. She had no real interest in any of the guys at school, and most of the girls would never go in for a girl girl relationship, Chizuro would but she spent all of her time pursuing Orihime to level that reached sexual harassment. On top of the that Chizuro had said that Tatsuki was to butch for her taste. Ha, she could clean up to be rather stunning but it didn't much matter now since she wouldn't think of going out with Chizuro after being insulted like that. "Damn am I home already, well I guess I had better get inside and get some sleep since I have to meet Ichigo and Rukia tomorrow," Tatsuki spoke to the empty alley. Tatsuki easily climbed onto the dumpster next to the garage and quickly and quietly slipped across the garage roof and slipped through her bedroom window. "I wonder who this person is they want me to meet tomorrow, well I guess I will find out then." Tatsuki said to herself as she drifted off into sleep.


	4. Friends and Understanding

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 4

"Well I think I did a pretty good job in picking a dress for you." Ichigo commented as he looked at Rukia, who stood next to him holding his hand.

"Yes, you did, but still where is Tatsuki she should have been here half an hour ago." Rukia said somewhat distractedly as she glanced around the park looking for Tatsuki. "Oh, there she is."

"Hi guys, sorry I'm late but the beginner's class at the dojo I was helping teach ran long today. Holding hands in public huh, if I didn't know any better I would say your growing up Kurosaki."

"Umm, its nothing like that!" Rukia mumbled as she turned beet red, knowing that Ichigo wanted to talk to Orihime before announcing their relationship to their friends at school.

"It's okay Rukia, Tatsuki is the one I went to when I needed advice on how to tell you how I feel, and she suggested that I get you a gift." Ichigo smiled at the way Rukia blushed when she was embarrassed, it was so cute. "Anyway if were going to get to Urahara's before one we had better be going."

"So who is this Urahara person anyway, and how can he help me?"

"Kisuke Urahara, he is a former soul reaper I guess," Ichigo replied, "he used to be the head of research and development for the soul society but he left after hiding something so dangerous that he was afraid that it would be misused. He helped me regain my soul reaper powers after I lost them when Rukia was taken back to the soul society a few months back. He is a little weird though."

"Well hear we are, Hello Tessai are Urahara and Yoruichi here?"

"Why yes they are Miss Kuchki, they are waiting for you in the office. And who is this fine young lady with you?"

"Tatsuki Arisawa, pleased to meet you."

"Tessai Tsukabishi, the pleasure is all mine."

"These friends of yours are a little weird aren't they?" Tatsuki asked as the passed through what appeared to be a normal store.

"Oh you haven't met the worst of them yet ,just wait. Urahara it's me and Rukia and the person she was telling you about on the phone."

"Come on in, and who are calling weird anyway. So this is our miss Arisawa, hmm." Urahara looked the girl in front him and thought that they were right to bring her here. Her spiritual pressure was not quite up to soul reaper levels it was high enough to make him think that like Chad and Orihime she had latent powers that could be developed. "Well Yoruichi what do you think?"

"She should have some sort of ability, the trick is just to draw it out, that will take quite a bit of work in the training room though."

For her part Tatsuki was intrigued by Yoruichi, she was so feminine but at the same time exuded a sense of power that Tatsuki had never felt from another woman before, it was if she was something other than human. The way she moved reminded Tatsuki of a cat, a cat that knew it controlled everything in its presence. "So when will this training begin anyway? I have a lot on my plate at the moment and I will probably need to rearrange things to free up time to train with you."

"You have a break at school coming up after this week don't you?" Urahara asked.

"Yes, we do, but I would rather start sooner."

"That just isn't possible because the training will require your undivided attention and I need to procure a few things before we start and it will take a few days to dig some of them up." Urahara looked at Yoruichi and asked, "If it is all right with you we will start on next Saturday. Its your call since you will be overseeing her training."

"That's fine, my name is Yoruichi by the way."

"I'm Tatsuki, Tatsuki Arisawa."

"Oh, Kurosaki don't forget that you have someone you need to take home with you." Urahara remarked as they got up to leave, "he's in the back helping Jinta sort the new stock and get it ready to put out."

"Well lets get Kon so we can talk to him and then leave him at the house and spend the day together. Do you want to come with us Tatsuki? We didn't have any real plans for today."

"No you two go ahead Ichigo I would just be a third wheel and get in the way." Tatsuki couldn't help but notice that Rukia blushed ever so slightly, despite herself Tatsuki chuckled a little and told Rukia, "there's nothing to be embarrassed about you know."

"I know but I am still getting used to the Idea of being in a relationship again, it has been almost a hundred years."

Tatsuki was taken aback, "just how old are you anyway, Rukia."

"I'm not sure at this point, at least 150 years or so since I came to the soul society but it could be longer, the early years are something of a blur."

"Ohhh Ichigo it was horrible," Kon shouted as he ran and grabbed onto Rukia's ankle, "please Rukia hold me, and don't let Ichigo send me away ever again."

"Um just what exactly is that thing," Tatsuki asked as she stared at the strangest thing she had yet seen, what looked to all the world like an animated stuffed animal.

"That's Kon he's a mod konpaku, he was created to help fight the hollows, but the project was canceled and he managed to escape in pack of soul candy," Rukia could tell from Tatsuki's look that she had no idea what soul candy was. "It's candy that is used to remove reluctant souls from dead bodies or to free your soul of its body or gigai. We couldn't find a real body for him so we stuck him into a toy we found on the street."

"Well I am going to head home, I have some stuff I need to do. Well good luck Rukia."

"Look Kon we need to have a talk."

"What is that face for Ichigo, why should I listen to you after you left me with those freaks." Kon snapped at Ichigo.

"Look either you can listen to me now and act like something resembling an adult or maybe you would like to go back to Yuzu, Bostov."

"Ok, ok, I'll behave."

"Good, lets go back to the park and talk this over there." Rukia picked up Kon and put him into her backpack and they set off to the park where the sat down on a bench that was secluded from view so that passers by wouldn't see them conversing with a stuffed lion. "Kon, the truth is that you stayed at Urahara Shoten last night so I could tell Rukia how I feel about her, and she feels the same way as I do and you need to understand that we have a relationship now and that you will need to give us the time and space we need to build our relationship, do understand that?."

"I, do, this had to happen sooner or later, besides Rukia just doesn't have a big enough rack for my taste, now that Orihime on the othe...mmmfff...aaaah, Rukia, stop I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Rukia bent down and picked up Kon, "look lets get you home so you can get some rest."

They walked along the streets enjoying the weather as the talked, about school, their friends and nothing in particular until they got home where Rukia ran inside and put Kon in Ichigo's room, and took the chance to look at herself in the full length mirror on the back of Yuzu's door. "Damn Ichigo you may hate shopping but you sure know how to pick them," she said to herself as she admired the way the dress's pattern brought out the shape her body and the subtle undertones of her hair.

Outside Ichigo stood leaning against the wall by the clinic door when he saw Orihime walking home from the store, carrying god knows what for her dinner. "Hey Orihime!" Ichigo called as he waved to her, and seeing him waving had the desired effect as she came over to him. Well there was no time like the present Ichigo thought.

"Hi, Ichigo what's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you, you see I know that you have feelings for me so I thought I should tell you before you found out second or third hand. I guess there is no way other than to say it up front, Rukia and I are a couple now. I know your disappointed but I didn't want to hurt our friendship by letting rumors run rampant." Ichigo could tell just from looking at her eyes that Orihime was hurt by the news she had just been given but she was strong enough to get over the disappointment of having her crush ended but there was just no other way to do it. "I am really sorry that this had to happen but it is entirely my fault for not being honest with myself or with other people before now and I won't let that happen ever again."

"I guess I should go since you probably have plans with Rukia and I don't want to get in your way. Who else knows about you two anyway?"

"Just you, Tatsuki, Urahara, Yoruichi and unavoidably Kon. Look if you need to talk about this some more I would be willing to listen right now, Rukia would understand completely."

"No it's okay, I need to head home at put this stuff away," Orihime said as she raised the shopping bag in her right hand. "Well I'll see you at school tomorrow." Orihime would go home, and she would cry but she would see that no matter what she had always known that there was a particular spark between Ichigo and Rukia that did not exist between herself and Ichigo and that her feelings would always be unrequited. It was better to be happy for them than to sulk and her character simply did not allow for that. Now it was time to make her ham and peanut butter ramen for dinner.

"That was a very mature thing you did just now." Isshin Kurosaki remarked as he looked at his son who spun around to see him as he came around the corner.

"What are you doing here, what did you hear anyway?" Ichigo demanded of his father.

"Oh, I heard all of it, I was taking the Biohazard trash out and heard you say you wanted to talk to Orihime, I knew was something serious by the tone of your voice. Many people wouldn't have had the courage to be honest enough to hurt the feelings of their friend a little in the here and now and let it fester to become extremely hurt feelings or even a ruined friendship later on." Isshin looked at his son and thought that he saw a faint trace of pride on his face for the praise he had received. "So I take that you and Rukia are going out for the rest of the day then?"

"Yeah, we thought we might take in a movie, after we get some lunch. Beyond that we had no real plans." Barring any interruptions from hollows Ichigo thought to himself. "Also if you don't mind don't tell Karin and Yuzu yet, it could be a little awkward if they knew. "

"Fine I think your right about that, well just try and be back in time for dinner since Yuzu has something special planed."

"Oh, hell today's their birthdays today, well I guess buying gifts is now part of our plans"

"Well I'll leave you be." And with that Isshin slipped around the corner and back into the clinic through the side door.

So he can act like a normal father when he wants too, I wouldn't have thought that it was possible. But now he was forced back into that task he hated more than any other, shopping for other people. Well there was no avoiding it, he could Yuzu something at the store where he found Rukia's dress but he was at loss as to what he should get for Karin. He was pulled from his thoughts by a kiss.

"You looked like you were thinking hard so I didn't want to disturb you, so what's up?"

"Today is Yuzu and Karin's birthday and we need to buy them gifts and I was trying to figure out what to get them. I thought I could get Yuzu a dress from the same store that I got yours, but for Karin I haven't the slightest clue as to what I should get for her."

"Well we can find something while were out, and why did your father wink at me when I came downstairs."

"Oh, he overheard me talking to Orihime, so he knows about us now, and he shouldn't cause us any problems, so where do you want to get lunch at anyway."

"How about that place across form the train station, they have dish I've been wanting to try."

"Okay." So this was a date, it was pretty easy. Ichigo didn't know why it had taken him so long to find the courage to admit his feelings to Rukia because he had never been happier, and it showed to all those that saw them, for there was Ichigo Kurosaki holding girls hand, and smiling, smiling like he hadn't since his mother died. A genuine warm and loving smile.


	5. Gifts and the Etiquet of Knocking

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 5

"So what should we do now?" Rukia asked Ichigo as the walked along the sidewalk.

"We need to get Karin and Yuzu's gifts then we can hang out for a while since we won't have time to see a movie, lets get Yuzu's gift first since I know what I am going to get her."

"I think I know what you can get for Karin, and I have a pretty good Idea of what I can get for them." Rukia wondered if they could manage to make through tonight without any interruptions, she hoped so. The last thing she wanted was for her and Ichigo's responsibilities to ruin what was supposed to be someone else's special day. She was pulled form her reverie by Ichigo.

"Well, this is the place," Ichigo looked around and spotted a dress that looked promising, "what do you think Rukia?"

"Not bad but why don't you take a little more time, if that is how you shop then I have no idea how you managed to find such a perfect dress for me."

"Well, it was a little easier shopping for you, I just had to find something that would make you smile. What about this one?"

"That's perfect, the color will look great on her."

"So what where you going to get Yuzu anyway?"

"These," Rukia said holding up a pair of ear rings and a necklace that matched the dress beautifully, "I thought that if you were getting her a dress I could get her something to go with it. Now we need to get Karin's gifts, and I need to get something for you too."

"What's this about getting me something you don't have to do that."

"But I want to, besides I haven't had a chance to say thank you properly yet, here you take this and go get Karin's gifts, I am going to go get yours, I'll be back in a flash." With a quick peck to Ichigo's cheek she handed him the money for Karin's gift and the note telling him what to get Rukia walked out side and pulled out her cell phone. "Hi, Yoruichi, its me, I need you to get something for me, no I will be there to get it in ten minutes, I am going to need a stuffed Chappy with the following message embroidered into, Thank you for making my life complete, your Love Rukia."

"So I guess things went well the other night. Have you two done it yet."

"Damn you Yoruichi, if you must know we have."

"My, my I was starting to think that Ichigo didn't have it in him. Well I guess I can't torture him about it any more. Well it should be ready when you get hear, when Urahara ordered yours he had to buy a whole case of Chappys so all we have to do is add the message, and I know who he got to do yours, and he just walked through the door now." Yoruichi looked up as Ishida walked through the door. "Your here to collect your fee I assume, but first I have one more job for you."

"Fine, the same price as last time, it should only take a couple of minutes." Ishida picked up the plush rabbit and set to work, he looked around when he heard some one come in.

"Oh, Ishida what are you doing here?" Rukia blurted out all though she knew all to well what he was doing here. It was so like Urahara to go to the person that was most convenient, regardless of the consequences.

"Well its done here you go." Ishida seemed oblivious to the message he had just put onto the rabbit, "well good luck with Ichigo tonight, I have to be going."

"So I guess I'll see you around then."

"Why hello pretty lady, back so soon."

"Urahara I ought to knock your teeth in, don't you have any discretion at all, getting Ishida to do the embroidery for you!!" Rukia threw the money she owed Urahara at him and stormed out.

"Thanks for the business please come back soon." Really, who else would I get to do it, besides he would have found out sooner or later Urahara thought.

Rukia made her way back to the store where they had gotten Yuzu's gifts, where she nearly walked past Ichigo in her anger. "What's wrong Rukia? You look really upset."

"It's nothing, just something Urahara did. Lets head home."

Ichigo took Rukia's hand as the headed for home and wondered what she had wanted from Urahara and why she was so upset. It was unlike her to let those sort of things bother her. They could talk it through later. "I wonder what Yuzu has in mind for dinner, Dad said she was going to do something special."

"I'm not sure, look about earlier, I picked up your gift from Urahara and Ishida was there to get the money Urahara owed him for embroidering the message on the Chappy you gave me."

"So that was it, still it is no surprise that Urahara went to him, besides he is hardly the type to go spreading rumors."

"Your right, I shouldn't have gotten so upset, did you get Karin's gifts?"

"Yeah, thanks for the idea, I would never have been able to find anything for her without your help. So how about a kiss before we head inside?" Ichigo asked as the reached the front door of the clinic.

"Hmmm, I guess that would be possible" Rukia purred as she pulled Ichigo into her arms and let her mouth be over come by his and simply enjoyed the feeling of being one with the person she loved, taking in the feel of his hot breath, the faint traces of mint from the gum Ichigo had been chewing earlier. It all came together to let all the problems and worries of the world disappear. "Well we had better go inside." Rukia said after reluctantly breaking their embrace.

"**HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARIN, YUZU!!**" Ichigo and Rukia called out as they came into kitchen where Karin and Yuzu were sitting at the table. "Where's dad Yuzu?"

"Oh he went to get dinner, I thought it would be nice to take a night off from cooking, so I sent him out to get us something to eat."

"Oh my sweet and lovely daughters, I am home!!"

"Yay now we can eat." Yuzu squealed.

"Geez Yuzu it's just take out, its not like its that special or anything."

Isshin, looked at his children, and his son's girlfriend and thought that despite all the difficulties that they had been through recently they had all managed to find happiness. He was as content as any man could be. It made him happy to know that his children's happiness would have made his wife even happier than he was. "So how about some gifts for the beautiful young ladies."

"That would be fine by me."

"Why can't you be more enthusiastic Karin?"

"It's just not my style Yuzu."

"Here these are form me and Rukia, I hope you like it."

"Wow Ichigo its so pretty, and the necklace and ear rings are beautiful thank you Rukia. I can't wait to try it on."

"These are the sneakers I have been wanting, and this jersey is great, thank you guys."

After an hour or so of small talk Ichigo and Rukia made their way upstairs. They slipped into Ichigo's room and sat down on the bed. Rukia gripped her gift to Ichigo behind her back and looked into his eyes and said what she truly felt. "Ichigo I love you and I want to thank you for all that you have done for me, here this is for you." She held out the stuffed Chappy and blushed a deep red.

"No, thank you Rukia for being with me," Ichigo said as he took the bunny and set on the be next to him, "have I ever told you how cute you look when you blush."

"Is that so, well maybe you can make me blush all over, ha ha ha. You just look silly when you blush. No matter what Yoruichi says your still easy to tease about some things." With that Rukia tackled Ichigo and sent him sprawling across his bed. "So how about we get to working on that blushing all over." Rukia decided that it was time to reciprocate what he had done for her. She worked her way down and removed Ichigo's pants and took hold of him and smiling said, "I guess part of you is grown up even if you don't always act like it." She lowered her mouth around him and began to slowly stroke his shaft with her tongue.

"Oh, god Rukia don't stop." Ichigo moaned, he had never known such pleasure, or that it was even possible. He leaned back and allowed himself to become lost in a fog of pleasure that became thicker and thicker until he found his release with a groan and suddenly worried that he hadn't given Rukia any warning. "Aww Rukia, I'm sorry I should have said something."

"No its fine really." She had been expecting this and was pleasantly surprised by his taste, it was just another part of him she was coming to know. "Now what should we do?"

"Oh I think I know." Ichigo said wryly as he pulled of his shirt and pulled Rukia up to him and pulled her dress of and soon had her down to her white panties. He then took up what was now one of his favorite pastimes, playing with Rukia's breasts, reveling in their small pert shape and their delicate pink nipples. He was a quick learner and applied all that he had learned the night before and was rewarded with a moaning and squirming Rukia.

"Wait Ichigo, where is Kon?"

"I don't know and I don't care."

"Who are you saying don't care about me!"

Damn it Kon, get out of here." Ichigo growled as Rukia squealed and quickly covered herself with a sheet.

"Its not like I saw anything in there, Kon grumped as he climbed out of the desk drawer and headed out into the hall.

"What a little perv. Now I think I will take you up on that offer to make you blush all over." With that Ichigo pulled Rukia's panties off and rolled over onto his back. Rukia lowered herself onto Ichigo and began to slowly move up and down in time with Ichigo's thrusts and began to rub herself as she got closer and closer to her climax.

Ichigo watched as Rukia reached her peak, moaning and calling his name and sure enough she really did blush all over. He didn't have time think long about it as her contractions sent him over the edge and was lost in yet another wave of pleasure that slowly began to fade as they both came down from the heights of passion that they had just climbed. "I love you Rukia" Ichigo whispered into her ear as she drifted off to sleep in his arms, and after reaching up and turning the lamp next to his bed off and joining Rukia in the peace that slumber offered.

"Ichigo wake up, or you will be late for school." Yuzu said as she knocked on Ichigo's door.

"Well Yuzu is he up yet, and have you seen Rukia I don't think that she came to bed last nigh." Karin queried her twin sister.

"No he isn't and I haven't seen Rukia either." Yuzu looked concerned, "Ichigo I am coming in." With that she opened the door and was confronted with a scene that left her at a total loss of words and could only yell. "**AHHH, wha..whats going on !!!**"

"Yuzu keep it down I'm up ok." Ichigo replied in a haze brought on by the best sleep he had since becoming a soul reaper when he suddenly realized why Yuzu had been screaming as he remembered that Rukia was sleeping in his bed her head still resting on his chest as he snapped upright into a sitting position that woke Rukia.

Who looked groggily up at Ichigo and mumbled "is it time to get up already?" But was brought roaring back into the here an now and the sudden knowledge that she and Ichigo were no longer alone.

"Man Yuzu what is all the racket about?..So that's where you were last night Rukia, good going Ichigo."

"Karin you can't mean that, Ichigo and Rukia shouldn't be doing what they must've been doing Karin!"

"Look you two should go on downstairs," Isshin couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself. "So much for keeping this form your sisters huh boy. You need to get going or your going to be late for school. Don't worry about Yuzu, I'll have a talk with her about the two of you."

Ichigo looked at Rukia who began to laugh. "What's so funny anyway, this is a disaster."

"No, it will be fine, and your father is right we had better get going if we don't want to be late."

Ichigo and Rukia both quickly showered and dressed and set off for school, once more hand in hand. They discussed how to tell everyone at school. "I think we only need to tell Chad, Mizuro and Keigo ourselves the rest can figure it out on their own. Hell most of them think we've been together for a while now."

"That does seem to be the best way, but what about Chizuro, Michiru and Ryo?"

"There more your friends than mine if you want to tell them fine, but there just as likely to here it from Orihime or Tatsuki." Truthfully Ichigo didn't care wether Chizuro knew or not as she was far too busy making her ridiculous passes at Orihime, but the outcome of such was usually fairly amusing.

"Here we are." Rukia looked to Ichigo and asked "are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah, after all most of our friends already know, hey Chad," and so it begins Ichigo thought. "What's up?"

"Not much Ichigo, how was your weekend?"

"Pretty good, Rukia and I are."

"Together." Chad stated as he stated everything as if it were self evident and didn't need to be said at all.

"How could you tell?"

"Your holding hands, and your smiling Ichigo. We had better get to class. "

"So that was easy enough," Ichigo whispered to Rukia as the went inside and took their seats after stealing a quick kiss in an empty stair well.

"Man is it true, that you and Rukia have hooked up?" Keigo demanded as he leaned over Ichigo's desk. "So, spill it already!!"

"Yeah tells us already!" Mizuro added from behind Ichigo.

"Yes its true and If you don't stop bothering me you won't be able ask me much of anything if keep firing questions at me, we're a couple now and just leave it at that."

The rest of the school day passed without much incident expect for some sideways glances and the occasional whispered comment. Tatsuki thought that Ichigo had never looked as relaxed as he did now but she had to bring some rain down on his parade. "Hey Ichigo I need to talk to you for a second."

"Sure what is it?"

"This training I am starting on Saturday, is it going to be dangerous?"

"I don't know, there's no telling what Urahara has come up with, but no I don't think it will be that dangerous, especially compared to what he put me through." He left unsaid the fact that as a result of his training with Urahara had turned him into something into something other than soul reaper strictly speaking, but she didn't know to need that. Hell not even strictly speaking. "I don't think you need to be worried since Yoruichi will be handling your training, and she helped Chad and Orihime develop their powers."

"So what can you tell me about Yoruichi anyway?"

"Well, she is a former soul reaper like Urahara, she was head of the Second Company of the court guards, who were responsible for hunting down rouge soul reapers, destroying the most dangerous hollows and gathering intelligence on the hollows. She was banished for helping Urahara go into hiding after decided to hide the results of some his research. They are friends from way back, they went through the soul reaper academy together and both moved up the ranks fairly quickly."

"Does she have any other interests?"

"Yoruichi, you mean aside form drinking, sleeping, and tormenting me I wouldn't know. I may be wrong but I think your attracted to her." Ichigo hoped that Tatsuki could find someone who could accept her, and the multiple demands on her time. Being one of the few people that knew Tatsuki well he had seen her relationships fall apart as she spent so much of her free time either training, competing or teaching martial arts. It was the nature of their friendship that they kept no secrets from each other, Ichigo was one of an extremely small group of people who knew Tatsuki to be bisexual. "Just look at it like this, you will soon have plenty of time to learn all about Yoruichi."

"Your not wrong, its just that I have never met another person like her anywhere, she has a presence that you can't help but be drawn to, and she moves in a way that is so fluid, so beautiful, its like she has total command of her body and I just want to know as much as I can about her. See you tomorrow Ichigo." Tatsuki turned and walked toward home as she thought again and again about the woman she had seen that day at Urahara Shoten. The way her hair fell down her back to the color of her eyes, those piercing eyes. Soon Tatsuki found herself standing at her front door and went inside to find a note on the table saying that her parents had a business dinner to attend and would not be back until late. Tatsuki sighed and wondered what she would do for dinner when her mind soon found its way back to Yoruichi. That had been happening a lot lately and she idea of what she could do to quiet her mind for a while.

Tatsuki made her way upstairs to her bedroom where she stripped down and grabbed her bath robe and headed for the bathroom. She started the water for the shower and then took the chance to examine herself in the mirror. She may have small breasts but they had always been enough for her liking, her eyes made their way down across her flat taught stomach to her trimmed pubic hair and down her long lithe legs. Tatsuki stepped into the shower and let the water cascade over her, she closed her eyes and imagined that Yoruichi was with her. Running her hands across her breasts, letting one hand descend to slowly stroke her sex, slipping two of her fingers inside her. While all this happened in Tatsuki's mind her own hands had not been idle, doing to herself what she wished Yoruichi was doing to her, running her fingers across her clit, shivering at the electric feeling that shot up her spine, making her legs tremble. She reached out and took hold of the detachable shower head and leaned against the wall of the shower and using her right hand spread herself and brought the shower head down and felt herself approach her release as the water acted like a thousand tiny fingers, each sending a jolt of pleasure though her body and with a cry she threw her head back and shuddered as the waves of pleasure spread over her lasting for what seemed to be an eternity as she let the fantasy completely overtake her. She emerged from the haze of bliss and reached to turn off the shower, "now only if I can make it come true."


	6. Admissions to Self and Others

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 6

Tatsuki couldn't believe what she was seeing, "is this place really under your store? It's so huge." She marveled as she looked around the massive underground chamber, wondering where the huge gash in floor came from.

"Ichigo did that to the floor, I really should fill it back in. So now that your here we can get started. You ready Yoruichi?"

"I am, but before we get started are you sure you want to go through with this, there is some risk involved but we should be able to keep it under control. The concept here is pretty simple, were going to put you into a situation where you have to defend yourself and more importantly protect someone else. The desire and willingness to protect is what awakens the latent abilities you possess, unlike Chad or Orihime we're not going to wait for a hollow to show up and hope everything works out. What we will do is recreate that kind of event, but in a controlled environment. So bring it on out."

"Bring what out?" Tatsuki asked with a puzzled look on her face as she looked from Yoruichi to Urahara and back to Yoruichi.

"Why a hollow of course." Urahara brightly noted, as if he were telling her all about some wonderful new candy he and just gotten in. "Hey Kon, that's your cue."

"So all I am supposed to do is stand here and let myself be attacked by a hollow right, man I cant believe I let you talk me into this."

"Well if you don't want to do it go back upstairs and put that gigai away and get back into your other body and spend the rest of this break with absolutely zero chance of getting anywhere with any girl." Urahara thought Kon looked rather silly in the gigai he had picked out but it was his call, at least it was a cheap one so it would be no great loss if it got damaged. "If you need me I will be minding the store, I will leave you in the capable hands of Yoruichi and Tessai, good luck."

Tatsuki turned at looked at the massive crate that Tessai had brought out. It was a good seven or so feet to a side and held closed with large chains secured with a massive padlock. Worse still it was shaking ominously and Tatsuki was sure she heard a deep grunting from within.

"The plan is fairly simple you have to keep the hollow form getting to Kon, what you do to make that happen is up to you, now this hollow is fairly weak so it shouldn't be too dangerous and if it looks like things are getting out of hand either I or Tessai will step in and put him back in the box, or in a worst case scenario, destroy it."

"I'm ready, so lets get started." Tatsuki said as she took up a defensive stance in front of Kon and told him "what ever else happens stay behind me, okay."

"What ever you say, lady"

"Alright here it comes." In one swift motion Yoruichi pulled free the chains holding the crate closed and the front fell to floor with a boom that reverberated off the walls of the training room for over a minute as the hollow inside the crate peered out, showing only its glowing empty eyes to Tatsuki as she swallowed hard and tried to suppress the cold knot of fear that was building in her gut. Tatsuki tried her best to push the fear aside and find some way to attack the hollow. It stared at her and with a roar lunged, trying to seize Tatsuki in its gaping maw of a mouth. Tatsuki feinted to her right and then slipped to the left and did the only thing she could think of, she let fly a kick with all the force she could muster. The blow came as a surprise to the hollow, not so much the pain, for that was minimal, but rather that a human had attacked it. Seeing that her attack had no effect Tatsuki retreated a few steps and began to look for a new way to drive off the hollow, she analyzed her options and saw that the only thing she could do was to draw it away from Kon other wise he would still be at risk.

Kon meanwhile watched nervously, remembering that he was only to run away if he had no other choice. He hoped Tatsuki wouldn't screw up and get them both killed.

Tatsuki had been carefully watching the hollow and come to the conclusion that it could only attack with speed if she was in close. This hollow was an ambush hunter, waiting for its prey to get close enough to be grabbed and consumed in one swift and powerful motion. Running straight at the hollow Tatsuki knew she was gambling with her life on what she had in mind, as she came into the hollow's striking range she dropped into a baseball slide and shot underneath the hollow and seizing a jagged rock from the floor that she thrust into the hollows belly. It let forth a blood chilling scream of pain and anger, as Tatsuki scrambled to get clear of the hollow's legs and get away it put on a burst of speed and spun 180 degrees and grabbed Tatsuki's right arm and began to pull her towards his mouth as she struggled to get free. Yoruichi prepared to jump down from her perch on the crate and pull the hollow off of Tatsuki when she suddenly screamed "**GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!!!!!!**" and suddenly there was a blast of light and the hollow was thrown thirty feet into the wall with a resounding crunch and slumped to the floor, dead, where it began to fade away.

"So that's her power, impressive, but learning to control will be difficult, she went and made herself pass out." Yoruichi noted to herself as she shook her head. Ichigo's friends continued to amaze her, she had never seen a human who could build up and forcibly release their spirit energy as a weapon. Her power was amazing considering her rather low spirit pressure. The only thing she had seen similar to Tatsuki's ability was Ichigo's ban kai. Yoruichi was intrigued and made a mental note to learn more about their Miss Arisawa. "Well Kon, you can go since that is all for today. Tessai if you could take care of the cleanup I am going to take Tatsuki up stairs and see if she has any wounds that need to be treated and talk to her once she wakes up."

"Yes ma'am, I will see it to presently."

"Wow, your so light, who would believe that such a small girl could have so much power." Yoruichi said to no one as she scooped Tatsuki up off of the floor and carried her up the ladder into the back of the store and into her own room where she laid Tatsuki on the futon and looked her over more closely, finding no obvious injuries other than a few minor cuts and scrapes that band aids would take care of. As Yoruichi reached for some smelling salts from the first aid kit she bumped Tatsuki's left side and saw her wince in pain. "So its not all so minor, I should have known." Yoruichi carefully and gently pulled up Tatsuki's shirt to reveal a large angry bruise that signaled broken ribs to Yoruichi.

"Mmmmm...unnhh...what, what happened?" Tatsuki asked as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. "Where is my shirt!" Tatsuki demanded once she was aware of her state of undress. She shot upright only to be struck by a wave of crushing pain.

"It's right here, and I had to take it off unless you don't want me to do anything about those broken ribs. Besides it's not like you have anything I haven't seen before." Yoruichi smiled despite herself, "now let me fix that, Bakudo number 43, healing art. Now all better."

"What's with this whole Bakudo thing, Rukia did that the night I was attacked."

"It's the demon arts, basically a form of magic that soul reapers can use, it is part of the training at the soul reaper academy. I need to know, how long have you been able to see the souls of the dead."

"Since the night at Orihime's, when Ichigo fought with her brother, but then it was only faint outlines, in the last month or so I have been able to see more and more, and then last week I was attacked by the hollow and Ichigo and Rukia showed up to deal with it. Since then it has become more acute." Tatsuki couldn't believe that she was talking about seeing the things she saw now, a little more than a year ago she would have called the entire concept preposterous. "So what does this all mean, and how did you stop the hollow?"

"I didn't, you did, I have never seen anything like what you did today, at least form a human. You threw that hollow so hard you put a dent the wall, but you are going to have to learn to control your power. You used up so much spiritual energy that you passed out. Tomorrow we will start working on bringing out your power at will so..." Yoruichi was suddenly cut off as she found Tatsuki's mouth on her own, and with out any real thought began to reciprocate the kiss. As Yoruichi broke away she blurted out "excuse me for a second!" and left the room with her heart pounding and her mind racing. She hadn't been expecting that, she was surprised that Tatsuki had been so forward, she tried to figure out what to do, she had find something to say, and fast. Was she interested in a relationship with this girl? Or should she reject her, and if so how?

While Yoruichi stood in the hall thinking all this over Tatsuki was left with her own thoughts. Damn, was I too forward. Is she not into girls, maybe I should have tried a different approach. I had better apologize to her. Tatsuki stood up and walked to the door and reached for the handle when the door slid open and she started to speak. "Yoruichi I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that..." Now it was Tatsuki who was surprised by the kiss that cut short her words. She felt so relieved, she was being embraced, being held by the one person she wanted to hold her more than any other. Tatsuki began to do something that was very much unlike herself, she began to cry. All the pain and anguish brought on by multiple failed relationships began to pour out of Tatsuki as she finally let go of what she had kept bottled up for so long. "I have just wanted someone who would accept me for who am and leave it at that, who can love the real me and not try and pull me away from my friends and the things that I love."

Yoruichi didn't say a word for nearly ten minutes, just allowing Tatsuki to find the relief and emotional release she needed. "Are you ok now?"

"I think so," Tatsuki replied with a waiver in her voice.

"Now why don't we go into the office and talk about some things, and go over what we will be doing tomorrow." Yoruichi wasn't entirely sure what she was getting herself into, starting a relationship with what appeared to be a somewhat emotionally fragile high school student. She was somewhat nervous given the way her last relationship had failed, and it had failed in such a spectacular manner. Taking all that into consideration she had made the decision to go ahead and give this opportunity a chance. "I need to know if you want a relationship or if your just looking for validation, because I have no time for someone who isn't interested in building a lasting and meaningful relationship."

"I am, every time I have tried to have relationship it has ended badly, and I am tired of being lonely and heartbroken." Tatsuki looked directly into Yoruichi's eyes and admitted to her what she could admit to no one else, at least not this honestly. "I knew I wanted to learn as much about you as I could. I have talked to just about everyone who knows you here, and that still isn't enough. Just being around you makes me happy."

"Well if that is the case then we can give this a go. Tomorrow we will work some more on your training, it is imperative that you learn to bring your power out at will, and especially to use only as much spiritual energy as necessary. I think that you have great potential as far as being able to fight the hollows, and never before have I known of human's latent spiritual powers being brought forth out self preservation, usually it is out of the desire to protect someone else." Yoruichi looked closely at Tatsuki and asked herself if she really could comprehend what she had just told her. She had shown enough power to severely injure or possibly kill even a captain level soul reaper if they had been caught in the path of the blast. "The best way to teach you control and precision is simple enough, you will have to destroy a series of targets, getting smaller as we go along. But first you will have to learn to call on your powers when you life isn't on the line and I have just the tool for that, and it is much safer than what we did today. Plus it would take three or four days to capture another hollow and drag it back here. So any questions?"

"Not about the training, but I would like to know if we could spend some time together tonight?" Tatsuki asked hopefully as she awaited Yoruichi's answer.

" I don't see why not, but maybe you should go and get cleaned up first, the bathroom is down the hall and to the right, and don't worry about clothes, I should have something you can wear." Yoruichi suddenly felt an emotion building inside that she hadn't felt in a very long time, it seemed strange that it should be happening. Especially with a human but it hardly mattered did it, thinking about Rukia and Ichigo, Isshin and Masaki, Kon and, well bad example, that assumed Kon would manage to score in the month that he had the gigai for. Still it was rather unusual.

Yoruichi made her way back to room and began to look for something that Tatsuki could wear. It would be a little difficult given the size disparity between them. After ten minutes of so of searching she found some things that would do. With that task out of the way she began to change her own clothes to something more appropriate to the evening she had in mind.

"Tatsuki," Yoruichi called as she knocked on the bathroom door, "I have your clothes for you."

"Thanks, I'll be there in a second." Tatsuki wrapped herself in a towel and went to the

door and took the clothes from Yoruichi. "So what did you have planned for tonight?"

"Oh, just dinner and then maybe some more time to talk." Yoruichi hoped she looked as good as she thought she would when she picked out the clothes. Yoruichi was not disappointed, the top was tight enough to reveal the subtle but enticing curves of Tatsuki's chest, while the pants drew out one her best features aside form her face, her legs.

"Wow Yoruichi you look stunning." Tatsuki was stunned that Yoruichi could be even more beautiful than before. Yoruichi was dressed in a nearly skin tight black shirt, cream colored leggings and matching buckskin boots and leather jacket.

"We need to be going, the place I have in mind gets crowded pretty early." Yoruichi led Tatsuki out onto the street and they began the walk to the restaurant that Yoruichi suspected would make Tatsuki feel most at ease with herself and give them a chance to learn more about each other. "So here we are."

"Ahh, Ms Yoruichi so good to see you again! Your regular table then?"

"Yes that would be fine." Yoruichi and Tatsuki followed the maître de to a table in a quiet corner and sat down. "Tell me Tatsuki, why did you kiss me earlier?"

"Umm, well, because I couldn't think of a way to tell you how I feel so I did the one thing I could think of to show you how I feel." Tatsuki blushed slightly thinking of earlier and continued, "and it has been so long since I have met a person who intrigues me as much as you do."

"So what do what to know about me anyway?" Yoruichi asked as she idly toyed with a piece of bread.

"Why did you become a soul reaper, why did you leave, what do like, what is your family like, I could go on and on but that would be enough for now."

Yoruichi sighed and began to tell a tale that brought back memories good and bad. "Why I became a soul reaper, why I left and my family are all interrelated. I come from one of the four noble families of the soul society and it was expected that I would become a soul reaper so I did. But I was never truly happy with my job, I wanted to spend my time with Urahara, hanging out and having fun. In many ways I was kind of like you, looking for a place and a people that would let me be myself. So I left with Urahara because I knew that if I stayed behind that I would never find anything resembling happiness. My family is nice enough but I could never escape the expectations and the comparisons with the people that came before and I was frustrated by the fact that to them I was never quite good enough. I tired to have a romantic relationship with Urahara after coming here but it didn't work out. We make far better friends than lovers and we both know that. As far as what I like, I like life itself, I have seen so much death and destruction that at this point I am perfectly content to enjoy what the world has to offer and not worry to much about the opinions of other people. If you mean what do like to do, eating is nice, so is drinking and sleeping, busting Ichigo's balls is fun too, and easy."

Tatsuki looked intently at Yoruichi and began to tell her all about herself. How she had known Ichigo since they were four. About her parents and their dedication to their work which so often left her alone, even though they tried their best. And about her love of karate "For me karate became my outlet, a place where I could vent all of my frustrations, but about two years ago I started going out with a guy and he wanted to do was hang out with his friend s and he kept pushing me to quite competing, which I just couldn't do. The next two guys and the one girl I went out with did the same thing, always wanting me to give up what I love so the wouldn't have to make any sacrifices at all. That is where the crying earlier came from I guess."

"So how about we get some dessert and then be on our way"

"That sounds good to me, but I need to go to the ladies room first." Tatsuki got up and went to build herself up for what might come next, she had never been this nervous before, even during the nationals. Why was she nervous, she was with Yoruichi and that was all that she wanted wasn't it? Taking a deep breath she headed back to the table and was surprised to find dessert waiting for her. "How did you know my favorite food is apple pie?"

"Your not the only person who can ask around about people you know." Yoruichi smiled and held up her cell phone as she spoke. "I hope you don't mind, I called Ichigo and asked him what you like while you were gone."

"It's fine, Ichigo is the only person who knows how I feel about you."

"And why is that?"

"Because I have never been able to work up the courage to tell them that I am interested in girls as well as guys. OH MY GOD! I can't believe their here." Tatsuki yelped when she saw Chizuro, Ryo and Michiru came in and sat down at a table halfway across the room that they would have to pass when they left. "How am I going to get out of here without them seeing me. Damn, why did this have to happen now."

"You know I think I have a solution for your problem," Yoruichi looked slyly at Tatsuki as she got up and took her hand, leading her toward the door. When the were even with the table that Chizuro and her friends were at Yoruichi stopped, turned and pulled Tatsuki into a kiss that seemed to last for hours.

Tatsuki couldn't believe what was happening, she felt her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to figure out what she should do. Finally she just decided to accept what was happening, realizing that Yoruichi was doing for her what she couldn't do for herself. After breaking their kiss Tatsuki smiled at Yoruichi and mouthed "thank you" as the made their way to the door hand in hand. As they walked along the darkened streets they said nothing for they didn't need to say anything, for they were simply content to be together. "Well I guess this is goodnight," Tatsuki noted as they stood on the sidewalk in front of her house, "I will see you tomorrow."

"Who said I was going home?" Yoruichi asked innocently.

"I, I...just didn't know if...would you like to come in?" Tatsuki finally managed to ask, turning a deep shade of crimson as she did so.

"I would love to, but what about your parents?" Yoruichi figured this had been why Tatsuki had not asked her in.

"They had meeting to go to in Fukuoka and won't be back until Tuesday." Tatsuki swallowed hard and went inside as Yoruichi followed her in the place Tatsuki called home. It was a neat but obviously lived in home, homely but still slightly formal. "So where is your room?"

"Up here," Tatsuki called from halfway up the stairs, "it's a little small but then again so am I."

Yoruichi followed Tatsuki through the door into her room and thought that the room before her was perfect reflection of the person that occupied it. Yoruichi turned to see Tatsuki staring at her. Seeing that Tatsuki was nervous Yoruichi decided to take it slow and go only as far as Tatsuki wanted it to go. Yoruichi led Tatsuki over to the bed, where they sat down. "I will only do what you feel comfortable with, if you want me to stop just say so, ok."

"Its alright, its just been a long time since I have been with someone else." Tatsuki leaned forward and pulled Yoruichi against her and reveled in her touch. As they began to kiss Tatsuki let her hands wander over Yoruichi feeling the smooth curve of her breasts, the taughtness of her stomach. She slid one of her hands underneath Yoruichi's shirt and was somewhat surprised to find that she wasn't wearing a bra. Tatsuki began to toy with Yoruichi's nipples which caused her let out what could only be described as a purr. Tatsuki pulled Yoruichi's shirt off and let her mouth begin to explore the beauty that was Yoruichi's chest.

Yoruichi was inclined to let Tatsuki continue uninterrupted but she felt that it would be selfish not to give back some of the pleasure she was receiving. "Tatsuki, why don't you let me do something for you."

"Alright." Tatsuki let Yoruichi take the lead, she began by pulling of her clothes, leaving Tatsuki naked on her bed. Yoruichi kissed her way down Tatsuki's body , starting at her neck, down over her shoulder onto her chest, with an interlude to suck on her small, hard pink nipples, lavishing kisses on them that had Tatsuki moaning softly. She trailed kisses down Tatsuki's stomach and soon found herself at her goal, with a single movement Yoruichi used her left hand to spread Tatsuki apart and slipped two fingers from he right hand inside of her while letting her tongue lap at her clit. As Tatsuki's moaning became louder and more urgent Yoruichi increased, and then slowed the speed of her ministrations, making Tatsuki hover on the cusp of release for as long as possible. Finally with one firm stroke of her tongue Yoruichi sent Tatsuki over the edge.

"**OH GOD I'M CUMMING!**" Tatsuki screamed as she experienced a level pleasure that she had never found by herself or with another person. She shook violently as the orgasm washed over her again and again like so many waves on a storm driven sea.

Yoruichi smiled as she watched Tatsuki writhe in pleasure for more than a minute, soaking Yoruichi in her essence. "Somehow I think that you enjoyed that," Yoruichi remarked with a chuckle as Tatsuki lay panting on her back still partially lost in a warm universe of bliss.

Tatsuki, looked into Yoruichi's eyes and without a word pulled her onto the bed and slipped her leg between Yoruichi's, and began to once more suckle Yoruichi's breasts, she let her hands find their way to Yoruichi's waist and began to push her pants down, when Tatsuki had an idea. She got up from the bed and made her way to Yoruichi's feet and grabbed her pants at the ankles and pulled them off with a flick of her wrists, she then made her way to the dresser against the opposite wall and reached into one of the drawers and found what she was looking for. Yoruichi watched with curiosity while propped up on her elbows now wearing only a very insubstantial pair of panties that were already soaked through. Keeping the toy hidden behind her back Tatsuki knelt between Yoruichi's legs and pulled away the panties that covered what she so desperately sought. At first she simply kissed and stroked Yoruichi's sex until she thought she was ready, with out any warning she plunged the vibrator into Yoruichi and turned it to full speed while she continued to eat at her sex, sliding the vibrator in and out.

For her part Yoruichi was surprised at Tatsuki's use of a toy, and soon found herself on the ragged edge. Her breathing became sharp and shallow as she signaled her eminent release with a cross between a moan and a mewl. Once more Tatsuki couldn't help but think of Yoruichi as a cross between a person and a cat. With a grunt Yoruichi let herself fall into the abyss of pleasure that overtook her, she called out "Tatsuki!!" as the lightning bolts of ecstasy shot along her spine. Yoruichi shook as she descended form the heights of pleasure, amazed at the power of her climax. Tatsuki laid herself on the bed next to Yoruichi who took her into her arms and began to gently stroke her hair.

Tatsuki whispered, barely audible, "I love you Yoruichi."

"I know, and I love you to Tatsuki."

They both had soon drifted into a deep and peaceful slumber, holding each other close, having perhaps finally found the person that could make their worlds complete. Tatsuki awoke to find herself alone in her bed, but a note on the nightstand proved that the events of the last night had been real. "Tatsuki, I had to go get a head start on preparing for your training for today, see you soon, love Yoruichi."


	7. Religous Experiences and a Battle Royale

**Spoiler Warning**: This chapter contains a massive spoiler or two, if you don't want to know what it is do not read this chapter. You have been warned, so Read on if you wish. :-

--Raging Tachikoma

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 7

Ichigo lay in bed, holding Rukia in his arms, just enjoying the warm sunlight pouring through the window. It truly was a lazy Sunday morning. He looked down as the woman in his arms began to stir "welcome back to the land of the living." Ichigo commented as he toyed with Rukia's sleep tousled hair.

Rukia blinked twice and looked up at Ichigo, marveling at the fact that they were now essentially living together. She still had trouble believing that how quickly their relationship was moving. Still it was markedly better than sleeping in the closet, or having to sneak into Ichigo's room only to have to sneak out again. "Mmm, what did you have in mind for today?"

"I thought we might go and see how Tatsuki's training is going later, as for right now I have a few things in mind." Ichigo let his hand wander down to Rukia's chest and began to toy with her left nipple.

"I think I know what your planning you naughty boy." Rukia sighed as she let Ichigo do what he would to her. She loved it when he took control of their lovemaking, he was powerful and gentle at the same time.

"It may be naughty but you know you like," Ichigo teased as he shifted himself on to his side to gain better access to that which he had plans for when there was a knock at the door.

"Ichigo, can I come in?" Yuzu asked through the door.

Ichigo looked to Rukia who gave him a nod of assent, "sure come on in."

The door opened and Yuzu stepped into the room, still somewhat uncomfortable with the living arrangements that her father had agreed to but she did her best to adjust. "There are some people here to see you. They are waiting downstairs."

"Who is it?" Ichigo asked, wondering who could want to see him on a Sunday morning.

"Tatsuki, some lady called Yoruichi, some guy in a weird hat and someone who says he is Rukia's brother." Yuzu replied.

"Tell them we will be down in just a minute." Ichigo looked to Rukia whose face looked as puzzled by Byakuya's presence as his own. "So, uh, how do we break this to your brother? That is if Urahara hasn't spilled it already." Ichigo fervently hoped that was not the case, but he suspected that he would soon be faced with an angry and possibly hostile Byakuya.

"We just need to be honest with him, if we do anything else we will just be making more problems for ourselves." Rukia called to Ichigo as she put on a robe and headed for the bathroom to fix her hair before dressing and rejoining Ichigo who had pulled on a T shirt and jeans, while Rukia slipped into an azure blue dress. Taking Ichigo's hand in her own they made their way downstairs and followed the sound of familiar voices into the kitchen. There sat their friends deep in discussion with Isshin and the girls, telling them about their time in the soul society "hello Byakuya, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Hello Rukia, I had some free time and I thought it would be nice to catch up with my sister." Byakuya warmly remarked, and for a change Rukia actually believed him, sensing no ill will in his tone or demeanor.

"So what do you need to talk to us about anyway? It must be important if your here this early." Ichigo directed his question at Urahara. While he awaited an answer he noticed that Tatsuki and Yoruichi were sitting rather close together, and holding hands. Well that was one question answered but it hardly explained why they were here.

"We need you the two of you to help with Tatsuki's training, you especially Ichigo." Urahara looked at Ichigo with one of his typical impenetrable stares.

"Which one of "me"did you have in mind?" Ichigo responded warily, knowing all to well what the answer was likely to be.

As Urahara began to answer Ichigo Isshin cut him off, " Urahara hold your tongue for a minute, girls," he said turning toward Karin and Yuzu, "why don't you go out for a while."

"But dad I want to hear more" Karin grumped.

"Me too," Yuzu added.

"That may be but we have some things we need to discuss in private." Isshin's tone left no room for disagreement and Karin and Yuzu made their way out of the room and headed for the empty lot where Karin's friends liked to hang out. "I think it is time that we all put all of our cards on the table, we need to stop keeping secrets from one another. I guess I should go first." Isshin reached into his pocket and pulled out what everyone in the room immediately recognized as soul candy. With a sigh Isshin swallowed the candy and appeared standing behind his body as a soul reaper.

Ichigo was shocked, he fell into a chair and mumbled, "why didn't you tell me, especially once I became a soul reaper?" For her part Rukia was as shocked as Ichigo, though she now understood where his incredible power came from. Between his mother and father he was heir to two powerful sources of spiritual energy. "If we are going to keep no secrets, then Byakuya you should know that Rukia and I are together." Ichigo admitted, as Rukia crossed the room and sat down on his lap, and planted a kiss on Ichigo.

Before Byakuya had a chance to speak Rukia interjected, " I don't care what you or anyone else may think, we love each other and that is that." Rukia had a finality in her voice that told everyone in the room that the issue was not open for debate.

"I knew that already, Urahara told me. I wanted to give you my blessings, even if our parents do not approve I know that won't dissuade you and I just want to see you happy." Byakuya looked at his sister and smiled slightly, knowing that he had just done more for her with those words than nearly anything else he had done for her since she came into his life.

"I guess I should say that Yoruichi and I are together too." Tatsuki added, finding that the more she said it, the easier it became.

"Well I have no secrets, not a one." Urahara said in a tone that made no one believe him for an instant. However no one was willing to challenge Urahara, knowing that if he had anything relevant to add to the conversation he would not hesitate to say so. As to your question Ichigo, we need your hollow self, but I am sure you already knew that."

"No, I don't have enough control to be comfortable trying to help Tatsuki train. Even if I did, I can't maintain that form for more than a few minutes. If I lose control I don't know what might happen, and I don't want anyone to get hurt,"

What happened next came as shock to everyone in the room. Rukia stood up and slapped Ichigo hard across the face. "You shouldn't be so selfish!" Rukia snapped. "You owe it to Tatsuki to help her, after all she helped you when you went to her after all! She knows the risks involved, and is still willing to continue, you have no excuse to deny her!"

Ichigo was stung more by her reproach than the slap. He knew she was right, and now it was time to own up to what he was, for better or for worse. Ichigo still feared that someday he would lose control of his hollow side and that the result would be the destruction of not only himself, but his friends and family as well. But if he was truly honest with himself he knew that in order to keep that from happening he would need to learn to more fully control his hollow side. "I'll do it, but on one condition, that you will try to find someway to repair the damage that has already been done."

Urahara looked at Ichigo and considered what he had said, it was he thought, a perfectly reasonable request, since his time in the shattered shaft hadn't exactly worked out as planned. He had actually suggested to Ichigo that they try the same thing with Tatsuki, but he had been insistent that he not even suggest the idea to her. "I will see what I can do, but as you know the chances of actually being able to make your soul whole again are slim at best, I make no promises of success, just that I will try."

"That is fine with me, I just want to be free of this monster once and for all." Ichigo was not entirely comfortable with what he would soon be doing but he owed it Tatsuki and he would not shirk his debt.

Tatsuki listened but felt that their was still something she didn't know and decided to simply ask about it. "What do you mean by Ichigo's hollow side?"

"To regain my soul reaper powers my chain of fate, the chain that attaches the soul to the body was cut, and I went into the shattered shaft where I would either become a soul reaper or a hollow, but it didn't work out quite like that." Ichigo answered her in a dull voice that suggested a sad acceptance of the finality of his fate.

"To be exact Ichigo is a vizard, half hollow and half soul reaper, it gives him an incredible amount of power, but there is a risk that if his hollow side came to dominate he would begin attacking people to consume their souls, and would have to be destroyed." Urahara added, wondering if he could ever do anything to properly apologize for the damage he had inflicted upon Ichigo. He knew deep in his heart that he could never make it right, and that the path he was about to go down very likely had only one end. It also gave him a new level of respect for Rukia, knowing that if it ever came to that she would likely be the first person Ichigo would attack, and that she would have to slay him.

Tatsuki sat motionless, stunned by what she had just heard, never quite having considered or understood the risks Ichigo had taken to save someone he loved. She was lost in thought for several minutes until she finally mustered the courage to ask, "Ichigo, are you sure you want to do this, if you don't I would understand completely and would never hold it against you."

Ichigo thought for a moment about the out Tatsuki had just offered him. He understood that she meant every word she had spoken. But he could also tell from the look on Rukia's face that if he took the exit had been afforded that it might do irreparable damage to their relationship. More than that, if he failed to more fully tame the hollow now, he might never succeed in doing so. "I appreciate the offer Tatsuki but I need to do this for myself and more importantly, for the people around me, you included. If I can't control that side of myself they are the ones that will suffer the most."

Yoruichi had remained on the sidelines of the conversation. Rukia, in her opinion had been too hard on Ichigo, he needed to face his demons at his own pace. If he was not ready when he did so he ran a greater risk of being consumed by the darkness. Maybe Ichigo needed someone like Rukia to make him realize that he could not put off confronting his problems. "Since you have agreed to help be at the store tomorrow at nine o'clock and we can get started."

Isshin now did his best to lighten the suddenly serious and somber mood. "How about we get the girls and all go out for some lunch?" After a moment everyone agreed.

Yoruichi was at first inclined to refuse, although Tatsuki had made progress in the last week she had hit a wall and that was why they had come to get Ichigo's help. She had planned that they would spend the afternoon working on improving Tatsuki's speed of response but felt that it would be best to start fresh tomorrow. "How about I go get Karin and Yuzu while Ichigo and Rukia get ready to go."

"That is fine with me, just be sure to be careful about what you say regarding Ichigo and Rukia to Yuzu. She is having a bit of difficulty adapting to their relationship."

"So what exactly is your relationship like anyway?" Byakuya inquired of his sister.

Rukia turned so red she began to resemble an over ripe apple. "I'm not sure that it's any of your business but we share the same bed if you must know. Now if you will excuse me I am going to go get ready." With that she followed Ichigo from the room and headed back upstairs to their room. Ichigo had been waiting for her and he pounced as soon as Rukia crossed the thresh hold, knowing he had only a few minutes finish what he had begun earlier in the morning. Rukia was surprised but pleased as Ichigo pushed her up against the wall and desperately began to kiss her, his hands finding their way to Rukia's small and shapely bottom, a firm squeeze of which elicited a moan of longing from his lover. Rukia thought of a way to both get ready and have some fun, she had been wanting to try this for a while anyway. "The shower, lets do it in the shower."

They made their way down the hall into the bathroom, shedding clothing as they went. Once inside Ichigo reached and turned on the water while at the same time returning to his previous activities. His hands finding what he now knew to be Rukia's pleasure centers, lightly nipping her ear lobes, softly stroking her lower back and being rewarded with a giggle that told him that she was ready to go further. Ichigo reached under Rukia and lifted her up and onto himself with a grunt. They soon found a tempo, moving their hips in time as the water pounded down on them. Rukia moaned loudly and called out "**Ichigo, Oh God, Ichigo!**" as his right hand found her clit and he lightly stroked around it but never touching it directly until he felt his climax approach. Then he gave Rukia what she longed for and sent her over the edge with a shout "**God YESSS!"** allowing her contractions to initiate his own release. They washed each other, lingering a bit over their favorite parts of each other, but not dwelling nearly as long as they wold have liked.

Despite the noise of the shower everyone downstairs clearly heard Rukia's cries. Tatsuki giggled and blushed slightly, while Byakuya, Urahara and Isshin simply ignored them as Isshin and Urahara peppered Byakuya with questions about the happenings of soul society and what their friends were up to. They continued to play dumb until Rukia's cries became so loud as she reached her peak. Urahara noted simply, "They should be down in just a few more minutes."

"I believe you are correct, so where will we be going to eat?" Byakuya asked, acting as though he had not heard his sister's sounds of lovemaking.

"I am not sure, I thought we could decide once everyone is here." Isshin did his best to hide his embarrassment at the sounds that had so recently been emanating from the bathroom.

"Were back." Yoruichi called as she and the girls came in. "What did I miss?"

"Oh, not much." Urahara quipped.

Yoruichi saw the look on Tatsuki's face and the stiffness of Byakuya and Isshin's conversation. She gave an inquisitive look to Tatsuki who just giggled. Yoruichi turned to see Ichigo and Rukia entered the room, fully dressed and ready to go. Yoruichi knew from Rukia's glow what had happened while she was gone. She hadn't expected Rukia or Ichigo to be the vocal type. Yoruichi wondered which one of them was the screamer, it was a fun game Yoruichi could play in her mind, but she couldn't decide which one of them it was. She was pulled from her reverie by a gentle shake on her shoulder from Tatsuki.

"Earth to Yoruichi, how does that new place called Momo's sound to you?"

"That is fine with me." Yoruichi responded, mentally chiding herself for allowing her mind to wander. As they walked along the sidewalk, Yoruichi pulled Tatsuki to the back of the group so as to get the answer to the question that had distracted her earlier. "So what exactly happened when I went to get Yuzu and Karin?"

Tatsuki suppressed a laugh "Ichigo and Rukia took a shower, together, and lets just say that for Rukia it was a religious experience, I am surprised the neighbors didn't hear her."

"Bwaahahahah...I wish I had been there. How did Byakuya react?" Yoruichi struggled to ask as she shivered with laughter.

"He and Isshin acted like they didn't hear a thing, but Urahara couldn't help but make a comment about how they would be down soon after Rukia had her 'revelation'."

"Well here we are," Isshin noted, thinking that this place appeared to have potential. "We need a table for nine."

"You had better make it twelve." Urahara offered as he saw Chad, Orihime and Ishida coming toward them. "Hey you guys, why don't you join us?"

"Sure that would be great!" Orihime chirped brightly.

"I don't see why not." Ishida added, who was curious as to why Byakuya was here.

"Mmm, sure."Chad replied, his usual cryptic self

They made their way inside and soon found themselves seated at the largest table in the restaurant. As they began to scan the menu which was an eclectic mix of Japanese, European and American cuisine the talk turned to the reasons for Byakuya's visit to the progress of Tatsuki's training, and the latest rumors making the rounds in soul society and at school. When the food arrived it seemed that the day couldn't be more perfect. Filled as it was with friends and food when an interruption came that brought the moment crashing back to earth.

Rukia tapped Ichigo on the shoulder as she looked at her cell phone. "Hollows, and a lot of them." she whispered. The rest of the group fell silent as they digested Rukia's words.

Isshin stood up and handed his wallet to Yuzu, "Yuzu take care of the bill, then head straight home with your sister. Someone should stay with the girls just in case."

"I'll do it." Chad offered as he looked around the table to see if there were any objections.

"That is fine with me, once they are at the house head for where all the excitement is." Isshin calmly took control of the situation and began to issue orders. " Ichigo, Rukia you two will take the center with Orihime, Byakuya, Urahara and I will take the right and Uryu, Yoruichi and Tatsuki will take the left. Our best hope is to keep them bottled up where they are and deal with them quickly before they have a chance to spread out and start attacking people." Isshin took out his soul candy and after taking a piece he handed it to Byakuya and soon Ichigo, Rukia, Urahara and Yoruichi were also ready to do battle.

Tatsuki swallowed hard and hoped she wouldn't let anyone down, she could bring out her power at will, but her precision and speed left a lot to be desired. She supposed that at some point she would have to fight for real in uncontrolled conditions, even the practice against the hollow gigai that Urahara had borrowed from a friend at the soul reaper academy couldn't prepare her for this.

"Don't worry Tatsuki, just do as you have been practicing and it will be okay." Yoruichi assured her lover with a calming smile. "Rukia, how many hollows?"

"Nineteen of varying strengths and one Menos Grande." Rukia shouted as the hollows came into view. She followed Ichigo as he waded in.

With a quick slash Ichigo dispatched the first of the hollows, but he knew that would be the last easy kill of the day and that from here on out it would be a desperate and difficult struggle. "**Ban Kai!**" Ichigo shouted as he took on his second form, using his speed to move behind a second hollow and strike at it's neck, this hollow was more adept, sensing Ichigo and moving to the side, avoiding the killing blow, suffering a deep gash to the upper arm.

Byakuya watched as Rukia deftly moved in anticipation of Ichigo's movements, dispatching the hollow Ichigo had failed to kill. He could not help but be impressed, he had never seen two people who could anticipate the others actions so well, they moved as a smooth fluid pair, needing not to say a word to coordinate their actions. It was as if they were preforming some sort of strange ritual dance. Byakuya cut short his admiration to turn his attention to another hollow that was charging him, unsheathing his blade of a thousand cherry blossoms. Moving to his left he made to behead the hollow, only to be surprised at the hollow's swiftness, it dodged his blade with ease. With a Shun Po Byakuya moved behind the hollow and struck again, relieving the hollow of one of it's legs, slowing the beast markedly. He could use his superior speed to gain the upper hand, which soon reduced the number of hollows to 16 and a Menos Grande.

On the other side of the battle Ishida had Quickly sent two hollows to their fate, only to be drawn into a running fight with a third that pulled him away from Yoruichi and Tatsuki. Yoruichi struck at the hollow that seemed most dangerous of the remaining fourteen, the hollows were obviously protecting the Menos Grande, but why? As Yoruichi tried to analyze the enemies tactics she lost track of the area around her, this lapse of situational awareness, nearly cost her as a hollow struck from her seven o'clock. Sensing it at the last moment she jinked and felt a burning pain as the hollow bit deeply into her left arm.

Tatsuki saw Yoruichi being dragged down by the hollow that had bitten her and was horrified to see two additional hollows descending on her. "**Get Away From HER, Spirit Release!!!**" Tatsuki screamed and let forth a blast of spiritual energy that was felt by those sensitive to such things nearly two miles away. The blast destroyed the three hollows around Yoruichi who managed to break free and dive away as the blast approached.

Yoruichi looked back and saw Tatsuki stumble and fall to the ground spent for the moment. This is what she had feared would happen if Tatsuki had to fight before learning to control her spiritual energy with precision. In a way this was her fault for going into battle with Tatsuki, they simply had not worked together enough to be able to anticipate their movements like Ichigo and Rukia. "Orihime help Tatsuki!!"

Orihime looked and saw the collapsed and vulnerable Tatsuki. She began to move to Tatsuki's aid, having to abandon using her Santen Ketsushun to force a pair pf hollows into a dead end alley where they would be easy prey for Ichigo and Rukia. They too heard Yoruichi's order and moved quickly to make the kill reducing the hollows number to nine. Looking at Tatsuki, Orihime moved to pull her clear of the battle area and help her recover. "Soten Kishun I Reject!"

"Thank you Orihime, you had better get back to Ichigo and Rukia." Tatsuki pulled herself to her feet and decided to do what had to be done. Remembering all that she had practiced she took aim at a hollow and focused on building up her spiritual energy and with clear goal in mind she called out, "Spirit Release!" and was satisfied to see the hollow she had singled out fly backward and disappear.

"Good work Tatsuki!" Ishida shouted over the din of battle, having returned from chasing down the hollow he had fighting.

Urahara was using his red benhime to good effect, dispatching two hollows with ease and teaming with Isshin to send two larger hollows to their fate. Byakuya was finally able to overcome his second opponent, having been forced to back off and charge the hollow as he used multiple Shun Po to disorient the hollow and assume a position that allowed for the delivery of the ultimate blow. "Only two left now, we should head for the Menos Grande!"

"Let's wait until the others get here, we need a plan to do this right, if we attack piecemeal it will defeat us one at time, we have to use our mass to our advantage." Isshin ordered.

Yoruichi moved so quickly she was a blur as for the first time in many years she drew her zanpakuto and neatly bisected the remaining hollows.

Moving on his own Ichigo drew his hand across his face and drew forth that side of himself that he feared, loathed and desired to control and use all at the same time. The mask of hollow appeared on his face, three lines curving over his left eye with a fourth below it. He charged at the Menos Grande swinging his zangetsu and letting lose a blast of dark spirit energy that opened a massive wound in the hollow's side. The Menos Grande swung in retaliation and sent Ichigo flying who landed next to Tatsuki, sliding on the front of his feet and using his left hand to slow himself. He turned and smiled at Tatsuki, though she could not see his face under the mask as he spoke. "Don't worry this will be all right, I will finish him off this time."

Tatsuki stared at Ichigo, at first horrified by the blank, almost evil visage that spoke to her in the reassuring tones of one of her best friends.

Ichigo sprang forward, joined by Byakuya and his father who both unleashed their own ban kai, alternating their attacks backing of when they sensed Ichigo's approach, for neither could hope to keep up with the speed of his movements. He flew at the weakened hollow, a black blur using a final blast of spirit energy to sever the Menos' head, which it appeared do. Only to see the hollow fall to it's knees. Its' neck only halfway cut through. As Ichigo began to build himself up for another attack he heard a massive crunch, and saw the Menos Grande's head fall to the ground to reveal Chad standing in the street looking as unflappable as always.

"So what did I miss?" Chad asked as he looked around at the battered and panting people around him.

"Oh not too much, just that Menos Grande and nearly twenty other hollows why do you ask?" Isshin panted as he leaned over, hands on his knees. "Damn I am out of shape, it has been way to long, I think I will be needing the training room as well Urahara."

"Whatever, how about we get our bodies and head home." Urahara said between sharp intakes of breath.

As they piled through the door of the Kurosaki clinic the group began to wonder what had cause so many hollows to appear at once, and why had they suddenly begun to develop cooperative tactics. These were new and disturbing developments. They began to plan for the possibility of another mass attack. Until then they decided to stay in contact with each other and to increase the speed of Tatsuki's training to ensure that she would be ready when the time came.

"What's up people? I don't know about you but I have had a great weekend, I met this girl with a giant rack, she seems really into me and we have a date later." Kon said to the assembled group as he walked through the door, realizing that something was amiss at the silence that greeted him.

It wasn't the events of the day that brought about the silence but the appearance of Kon who only Yoruichi, Tatsuki and Urahara had seen in his choice of gigai. "That's not exactly your look Kon, Isshin mumbled between barely suppressed fits of laughter, which soon spread to everyone else when Ichigo added his two yen.

"You look like a cross between a bad anime character and a clothing store explosion." It was the truth, Kon was sporting spiked black hair with yellow highlights, a pair lime green pants, a paisley shirt that not even Isshin would wear and pair of motorcycle boots.

"It's like looking into the sun," Rukia giggled.

"Hey at least I might get lucky tonight!!" Kon yelled as he stormed out of the room.

"He's not the only one who might get lucky tonight." Yoruichi whispered to Tatsuki, causing her to take on a color normally reserved for stop signs.


	8. Date Night

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 8

Yoruichi sat on the couch, wondering what Tatsuki wanted. When they had returned to Urahara's she had told her to wait, because she had a surprise for her. As she let her mind drift, exploring the possibilities of the surprise Tatsuki had in mind. Yoruichi was pulled back to the present when Jinta and Ururu came in and flopped themselves down next to her and began to argue over what to watch on TV. Just as Yoruichi began to speak Tessai entered the room.

"Now you two, stop bothering Ms. Yoruichi,"

Before Tessai could say anymore Yoruichi interjected, "it's fine Tessai, I was just about to get up anyway. If anyone asks for me I will be in my room." Making her way to her room Yoruichi sat down on her futon and began to think more about her relationship with Tatsuki and where it was headed. They certainly had feelings for each other, but they had come to a point that worried Yoruichi. If Tatsuki could not admit to her parents that she was in a relationship with another woman it would put pressure on what was already a less than 'normal' relationship. Yoruichi wanted to be fully open and honest but so long as Tatsuki kept the facts hidden from her parents they could never reach the next level, and that would mean the end of what they had, and that was something Yoruichi hoped to avoid. Her thoughts were derailed by a soft knock on the door.

"Yoruichi, it's me, can I come in?" Tatsuki queried, curious as to why Yoruichi had retreated to her room.

"Sure, you really don't need to ask you know." Yoruichi replied, not really noticing the look on Tatsuki's face as she entered the room. "What's up?"

"It's about the surprise I mentioned earlier, I am ready to give it to you now. Or would you rather wait?" Tatsuki, hoped fervently that Yoruichi would agree to come with her, it had taken all day to work up the nerve to do this and she didn't know if she would be able to work up the courage again any time soon.

Finally seeing the look that was a mix of anticipation, nervousness and worry that colored Tatsuki's face Yoruichi put aside her earlier thoughts and got up to follow Tatsuki. "So where is this surprise anyway?"

"At my house." Tatsuki answered, averting her eyes slightly as she did so.

Yoruichi thought Tatsuki was acting strange, in the time they had been around each other she had never behaved this way before. It was obvious that she was nervous, but about what? They had no real secrets between them and as far the physical side of their relationship went there were no real mysteries there either. Yoruichi watched Tatsuki closely as they approached her house, stopping about half a block away, where Tatsuki took a deep breath and mumbled to herself, "you can do this." They quickly covered the last few hundred feet and Tatsuki opened the door and they went inside.

Tatsuki then pulled Yoruichi off to the left and in to the kitchen, where she said, "wait here for a couple minutes and I will be back for you." With that Tatsuki made her way to the living room where her parents sat, waiting for her on the couch in the center of the room, not knowing what Tatsuki had wanted to tell them, and why she had to leave and come back before telling them. Tatsuki took a deep breath as she sat down on the couch opposite her parents and began to speak, "I am sure that you must have noticed that I have been going out with someone lately and I wanted you to meet that person." Tatsuki girded herself for the next thing she had to say, her parents had always allowed her to live her own life and had never pushed to know about her relationships, such as they had been. "The person I have been going out with is," deep breath, you can do it she thought, "a girl." There, she had said and couldn't take it back. She watched her parents closely, her father seemed almost bemused, while her mother looked a little stunned. Tatsuki pressed ahead. "I have known that I am bisexual for about a year now, I, we, ...I love the girl I am with now and I want to stay with her, but I knew that if this stayed hidden from you it would drive us apart. You are the only people I have told aside from Ichigo and some of my other friends." Tatsuki got up and went to get Yoruichi, her parents simply looked at each other and wondered what type of girl their daughter had fallen for. "Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend, Yoruichi Shihouin."

"It is nice to meet you," Yoruichi held out her hand, and was surprised when Tatsuki's mother swept her up into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Tomoyuki Arisawa, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance" Tatsuki's mother said as she regained her composure. "I am just so happy that Tatsuki met someone who is right for her."

"Shinji Arisawa, it's nice to meet you." He said as he held out his hand which Yoruichi took and gave a firm shake, and gave a small bow a courtesy dictated. "Why don't the two of you go out and have a good time tonight." Shinji could tell his daughter was spent form having come out to them and looked liked she just wanted to go and recover all of the energy she had spent working herself up for this.

"Are you sure Dad?" Tatsuki asked as she struggled to recover from this disruption of her plans which had included the four of them having dinner so to let her parents get to know Yoruichi better.

"Yes, you look like you could use some time to recover, it isn't like you to get so worked up over something like this." Shinji replied with a smile on his face, knowing that his daughter wouldn't argue with him, especially given the way they looked at each other. It was so funny to think that until a few moments ago his child had been worried about her secret and how they would react to it, she really should have known that to them it didn't matter what Tatsuki chose, so long as it made her happy.

"Well it was nice to meet the two of you, I hope to get to know you better soon." Yoruichi said as she and Tatsuki stood up to make their way out.

Tatsuki followed behind Yoruichi, floating on a cloud. Still unable to believe how well it had gone. Tatsuki was soon surprised once again as she was seized by Yoruichi and engulfed in a kiss whose incomparable pleasure seemed to go on and on for days, finally ending with Yoruichi playfully pulling at Tatsuki's lower lip with her teeth.

"How about we go and see a movie, then come back here and hang out." Yoruichi breathed into Tatsuki's ear in such a way as to clearly indicate what she meant by hanging out, and Tatsuki suspected that it involved very little of things normally associated with hanging out at all.

"That sounds good to me, why don't we get a newspaper and see what is showing?" Tatsuki looked around and spotted a 7-11 and ducked inside and came out with a newspaper. She quickly flipped to the movie listings and began to rattle of the pictures that were showing.

"Lets see that last one, 'Romance in the Fall'" Yoruichi told Tatsuki who gave her an incredulous look.

"That one, I wouldn't think that you would go in for that romantic stuff."

"Well, usually I wouldn't but this supposed to be a date after all, and what could be more fitting than some cheesy romance flick." Yoruichi answered half jokingly, "besides, Tessai told me it was really good so I have been wanting to see it for a while now."

"Wait, Tessai, recommended it to you?" Tatsuki wondered if her ears had deceived her.

"Yep, he is really into those chick flicks, I know it seems strange, but he is a strange guy." Yoruichi took Tatsuki's hand and led the way to the theater, relieved that her earlier worrying had been all for naught. "Hey, is that Kon?" Yoruichi whispered to Tatsuki as they approached the line to the box office.

"It is, at least he toned down his clothes from earlier," Tatsuki giggled as the watched Kon buy two tickets and wave to someone who came over to meet him. "Oh my god! That's Ryo from school. She is the one Kon got a date with, I wonder what their going to see."

"Knowing Kon, he will be trying everything he can think of to get lucky so it is probably the same movie as us." Yoruichi hoped she was right, she wanted to see how Kon acted during his date. She had the sneaking feeling that it would be far more entertaining than any movie. "I thought Kon said the girl he was going out with had a giant rack."

"He was probably just trying to make himself seem cool to Ichigo and everyone else. I guess he thinks he has some sort of reputation to maintain." Tatsuki thought it was kind of cute in a way, still she worried that Kon would try to take advantage of Ryo.

They cut short their conversation as they reached the box office. "Two for Romance in the Fall please." Yoruichi paid for the tickets and looked around the lobby as they went in, looking for Kon. There he was standing in line at the concession stand, Ryo was holding his hand as they talked. Yoruichi wished she could get closer to hear what they were saying but she didn't want to spook Kon. If he saw them it would just become a huge mess. He didn't see them but Ryo did, or more specifically Tatsuki.

"Hey Tatsuki," Ryo called when she saw her friend across the lobby.

"Oh, hell this isn't good, now Kon knows were here." Yoruichi whispered to Tatsuki.

"We might as well say hello, since they know were here, besides if we play this right we can still watch and see how his date plays out. Maybe from the front row even." Tatsuki took Yoruichi's hand and led her over to where Ryo and Kon were standing. "Ryo, this is my girlfriend, Yoruichi Shihouin, this is Ryo Kunieda." Tatsuki said as she made the introductions.

"Nice to meet you, I didn't catch your name last time." Ryo said, trying to come to grips with Tatsuki's sudden openness, before she had never talked about her relationships much if at all, much less introducing them to her friends. Ryo was still surprised that Tatsuki was with another girl. "So what are you too going to see?"

"Romance in the Fall," Yoruichi replied, looking past Ryo and watching Kon, waiting to see how he would respond to their sudden appearance. For the moment he ignored them and went ahead with getting his and Ryo's snacks.

"Yor...Yoruichi, Tatsuki what are you two doing here." Kon blurted as he turned around after paying.

So he hadn't seen us after all, now it gets interesting Yoruichi thought. "Were seeing a movie Kon, it seemed the obvious thing to do at a theater, on a date." Yoruichi nearly burst into laughter at the look Kon gave her.

"Come on Ryo, lets go before all the good seats are taken." Kon hurried away before Yoruichi could cause him any more trouble.

"Guess I'll see you guys later, give me a call later Tatsuki." Ryo called as she followed Kon into the theater.

"So do you want anything?" Tatsuki asked Yoruichi.

"Sure, lets get some popcorn, and something to drink." Yoruichi picked up their drinks as Tatsuki took the popcorn and headed for the theater. "Where is Kon sitting?"

"Right there." Tatsuki pointed him out, he was sitting about halfway down and to the right slightly. "Let's take those two seats right there," Tatsuki pointed to a pair of seats two rows back and three seats to the right of where Kon and Ryo were seated. As the lights began to dim Tatsuki leaned against Yoruichi, who put an arm around her, neither particularly paying attention to the coming attractions or Kon and Ryo. Rather they became lost in the simple pleasure of being together. As the movie began their attention shifted to the screen.

Nearly twenty minutes into the feature Yoruichi whispered to Tatsuki, "look at Kon, he is so clueless." As Kon tried the oldest and lamest trick in the book, the yawn and stretch. "It's almost cute how clueless he is."

"For all his talk he really is hopeless, but enough about him." Tatsuki pulled Yoruichi's lips down into her own, sliding her tongue across Yoruichi's, taking in every subtle feeling and response that her lover made. Reveling in the intimacy of the moment.

As the movie played on, Tatsuki and Yoruichi alternated between watching the movie and watching Kon. When the house lights came up Yoruichi turned and gave one last look at Kon who seemed rather happy as he and Ryo headed out. "I seem to remember saying something about how Kon wouldn't be the only person who might get lucky tonight." Yoruichi said to Tatsuki with a grin and a wink.

"Don't look at me like that, or I might just have to have you right here and now."

"So why don't we head home then," Yoruichi, upon seeing that they were the only ones left in the theater, sprang up from her seat and stood on its back, making her way to the aisle along the tops of the seats. "Mmm, it's so nice to be able to move, I was starting to get stiff from that seat,"

Tatsuki marveled at how Yoruichi moved, being reminded once again of what had first drawn her to Yoruichi. "You know, the way you move reminds me of a cat."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, really?" Yoruichi exploded as she realized that Tatsuki had only seen her in her true form.

"What's so funny?"

"I'll show you," and with those words Tatsuki was stunned into silence as a black cat emerged from Yoruichi's clothes and began to speak. "So what do you think?"

"I think that your voice sounds ridiculous, and that if you change back that no one sees you before you get dressed." Tatsuki was surprised, but she was able to find herself quickly enough, the more she was around people like Yoruichi and Urahara the less such things surprised her. With a puff of smoke Yoruichi returned to human form and began to quickly pull her clothes on, "hurry up, after seeing that I am really ready to get out of here and go someplace more private." Tatsuki was watching Yoruichi's every move with a look that could only be described as a cross between hunger and lust. The walk to Tatsuki's house that should have taken twenty minutes lasted twice that as they continually stopped to partake in bouts of frenzied, passionate kissing. At the end of one of these interludes Tatsuki said out loud something she had only once before, "Yoruichi I love you, and I want to be with for as long as I can and," tears began to streak Tatsuki's face as she continued, "I know that what we have is something that can't last forever, but I want to last for as long as it can. Will you stay with me no matter what happens?"

"Yes, yes, I love you more than you can know, and I will always be by your side. It doesn't matter to me what happens, if I am with you it will be all right." Yoruichi gently held Tatsuki as she shook with sobs.

"I, I was worried that you would leave me, I could see it in the way you were acting. That's why I told my parents about us, because I don't want to lose you. Not when I have finally found someone who understands me." Tatsuki had never been like this before, with Yoruichi she felt that she could finally let all of her feelings out and would never be scorned or ridiculed, she would just be given the comfort and understanding that she needed and had for so many years longed for.

Yoruichi held Tatsuki close and softly spoke into Tatsuki's ear. "I won't leave you, today you have shown more courage than many people do in a lifetime. There is nothing in this world that I want more than to be with you, and I love you more than anything or anyone else, the time I have had with you has made me happy in a way I have never known before." Yoruichi took Tatsuki's hand and led her home. Standing in front of the door Yoruichi said, "well do you still want me come in, or is this goodnight?"

"Oh, I think I want you to come in."

Tatsuki pulled Yoruichi inside and up to her room. After locking the door behind herself, Tatsuki fell upon Yoruichi, stripping her clothes off in a flurry of passion. Tatsuki kissed her way down Yoruichi's body, starting at her right ear, moving down her neck, lingering there. Yoruichi moaned as Tatsuki made her way to her breasts, first the right, then the left, slowly covering them in kisses. Approaching, but never quite reaching her nipples, which were now hard and begging for attention. Tatsuki dragged out her assault on Yoruichi's mounds, finally taking her left nipple into her mouth and gently sucking on the swollen bud. She then flicked at it with her tongue, which she dragged across and began to do the same to Yoruichi's right breast. Tatsuki now trailed her kisses across Yoruichi's flat stomach and on to her thighs, slowly making her way to Yoruichi's center, which glistened with anticipation. Tatsuki slid her tongue over the outside of Yoruichi's sex, slowly moving her tongue up and down. Spreading Yoruichi apart Tatsuki plunged her tongue into Yoruichi's dripping sex, drinking in her flavor. Tatsuki blew gently onto Yoruichi's button, causing her to shiver with pleasure. Slipping two fingers inside her lover Tatsuki concentrated on Yoruichi's clit, alternating between sucking and licking, stopping every so often to keep Yoruichi on the edge. With a final pass of her tongue Yoruichi climaxed, drenching Tatsuki in her essence , and forgetting that they weren't the only ones in the house let out a scream of passion, "**UUNNHHH, TATSUKI!!!!!!**"

"Yoruichi!!, try not to be so loud!" Tatsuki knew that there was no way her parents could have failed to hear Yoruichi, who tended to be a very vocal lover.

"Sorry, I kind of got carried away, besides it's all your fault anyway." Yoruichi panted as she struggled to regain control of her trembling body. "How about I return the favor?"

"That sounds good to me," as Tatsuki rubbed herself through her clothes.

Yoruichi pushed herself up and stood shakily, still weak from the intensity of her orgasm. "Before we do anything else we need to get you out of those clothes." Yoruichi pulled Tatsuki to her and began stripping her down one garment at a time, enjoying the process, but looking forward to the reward at the end even more so. Yoruichi reached for the drawer behind her, and after a moment of searching found what she sought. "You know, I have never had a chance to get you back for what you did on our first night together. And I never would have pegged you for the type to own something like this." Yoruichi noted as she held up the seven inch long pink vibrator in her right hand.

"Well even I need to relieve the tension from time to time, and well lets just say that it helps." Tatsuki looked slightly embarrassed as she answered Yoruichi's query.

"Why don't you show me what you do to relieve the tension?" Yoruichi asked with an evil grin on her face.

"You really mean it?"

"Yes I do, so show me." Yoruichi held the vibrator out for Tatsuki to take from her.

"Ok, I'll do it," seizing the toy from Yoruichi she laid back on her bed as Yoruichi positioned herself at the foot of the bed for a better view. Tatsuki began by slowly rubbing her breasts, pinching her nipples, running her hands along her sides, allowing the burning desire to build deep within herself. She let her left hand find her center and begin to gently rub herself , slipping first two, then three fingers into herself. Yoruichi watched in fascination, never having before been able to watch Tatsuki's every response, from the way she bit her bottom lip to the curling of her toes. Tatsuki turned on the vibrator and moved across the outside of her sex, allowing her nectar to coat the toy, sliding it into herself inch by inch until it filled her completely. She slowly pumped it in and out, pausing after a few strokes to bring it to her mouth and lick her sweet essence from the toy. On her way back down Tatsuki ran the vibrator across her nipples, shuddering slightly at the electric feeling that ran along her spine. Her breathing quickened as she reinserted the vibrator and began to quickly pump it in and out with her left hand, using her right to stroke her clit, she could feel the warm, slippery liquid flowing out of herself as she neared the edge. With a powerful thrust she buried the vibrator as deep as it would go and became lost in a world of ecstasy with a cry "**AHHHH!!! YESSS!!!**," her back arching and lifting herself from the bed as she felt her contractions try and pull the toy deeper into herself, finally collapsing after nearly a minute of moaning and writhing. She lay on her back, having completely forgotten that Yoruichi was watching her until she spoke, cutting through the fog of post orgasmic bliss.

"You look so cute when you come, you bite your lower lip and scrunch up your face, and your body gets all flushed. Now let's have some fun together." Yoruichi reached down and pulled the vibrator from Tatsuki. Sliding forward she took hod of Tatsuki's left leg and pulled it so she sat astride Tatsuki's other leg and pulled her close, bringing them together she began to move her hips in small circles, soon finding a rhythm. Yoruichi could feel their nectars mixing as her sex glided across Tatsuki's, each pass sending a fresh wave of pleasure through her body. She used her hand to explore Tatsuki's body as she brought herself and Tatsuki once more to the brink of release.

Tatsuki could take no more and lost herself in a second earth shattering orgasm that overtook her. Yoruichi held on and rode out Tatsuki's second orgasm and continued onward, eventually reaching her own climax, which pitched Tatsuki over the edge for a third time, leaving her spent and wondering if she could ever feel any more pleasure than she did at the moment, she doubted it. "Damn, I don't think I have ever come so hard in all my life."

"I'm glad I could make you feel that way." Yoruichi pulled Tatsuki close to her as she lay in the bed, the two of them drenched in sweat and the residue of their lovemaking. "Maybe we should clean up." Yoruichi got no response and looked down to see Tatsuki already asleep with a look of peace and contentment on her face. "I guess that can wait until the morning," Yoruichi noted with a yawn, pulling the comforter over them and drifting off to the gentle rhythm of Tatsuki's breathing.

A few blocks away Kon was ending his date as well, he didn't et as far as he had hoped, but she did let him kiss her goodnight and had agreed to go out again in a couple of days. Maybe I'll go see what Ichigo and Rukia are up to he thought, and I wonder who that guy with the weird hair was. Making his way along the familiar streets he rounded the next to last corner on his way home to be confronted with a sight he had hoped to avoid, Ichigo and Rukia making out on their way back from dealing with a hollow. He was surprised that they were going so far in public, Ichigo was feeling Rukia up when Kon realized that most people would not be able to see them. Kon thought about waiting and watching to see how far they would go but decided that if he got caught Ichigo would kill him, and then put him back into that stuffed animal so Rukia could kill him again, or at least make him want to die. Realizing that discretion was the better part of valor Kon retreated around the corner and came back around, being sure to 'accidentally' knock over a trash can.

Rukia's head snapped toward the sound, and seeing who it was she quickly disentangled herself from Ichigo. "Kon what are you doing here, did you get dumped?"

"No my date went fine but she doesn't want to rush things, were going out again in a couple of days. So what are you to up to?"

"We were just heading home, why? Besides aren't you staying at Urahara's while your in that gigai?" Ichigo asked somewhat defensively.

"I am, but I wanted to know who that guy with the weird hair I saw earlier was. And why is he here?" Kon fired back at Ichigo.

"He's my brother Byakuya, he came to visit me and will be here for about a week, its no big deal really." Rukia looked at Kon and continued, "If you head back to Urahara's you'll get a chance to know all about him, he is staying over their since there is no room with us."

"Well, I guess I should be heading home." Kon, knew what Ichigo and Rukia would be doing when they got home, and he had no desire to get in their way.

"If you want someone to talk to about something I am sure my dad would be willing to listen." Ichigo was pretty sure that Kon wanted to talk about something, and whatever it was, it was weighing heavily on him. For all the trouble he gave Kon Ichigo knew him to be a kind person, well if you could call him that. "He should be in the clinic office if you want to talk. I know you think that I hate you, I don't, I think of you as a friend, an annoying friend at times but still a friend. I have a lot of respect for what you have been doing for Tatsuki. Anyway we are going to head back now. "

Kon wandered around for outside the clinic for ten minutes before deciding to take up Ichigo's offer and talk to Isshin. Going inside he made his way to the office at the back of the clinic, he knocked on the door. "Isshin, its me, Kon, can I come in?"

"Of course you can." Isshin said as he put his hand on Kon's shoulder, making him jump with surprise. "Sorry I went to get something to drink. So what do you want to talk to me about."

"How did you know I want to talk to you?"

"Easy, one your not very good at hiding your emotions, two why else would you be here, and three Ichigo told me you might be coming by to talk." Isshin looked Kon over and wondered why he was looking so tense and frustrated. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I need to ask you about girls." Kon answered, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Well, when two people love each other very much they..." Isshin began to launch into a description of the birds and the bees.

"Not that you dumbass, I mean I have some relationship questions." Kon interjected in an annoyed voice.

"Why do you kids always have to ruin my fun," Isshin grumped, he hadn't had a chance to give 'the talk' for a while, and he had even bought some new hand puppets too. "So what is it that you need to know?"

"I am going out with a girl I like a lot but I want things to move along quicker, I only have this body for a couple more weeks then I have to give it back to Urahara." Kon looked hopefully to Isshin, believing that he must have the answer to his problem.

"Let me ask you this, do you think this girl is willing to move any faster?" Isshin suspected he already knew the answer, but he needed to hear it from Kon to be able to help him solve his problem.

"No, she wants to take it slow, but I don't have time to take it slow." Kon said, wondering what Isshin was playing at. "Besides if I don't get some soon it will fall off as much as I have been mastur..." Kon turned bright red as Isshin burst out laughing realizing too late that he had been thinking out loud.

"Look, I have a solution to your problem, it's fairly simple really."

"What is it?" Kon desperately asked, his earlier embarrassment completely forgotten.

"I will talk to Urahara so you can keep that gigai indefinitely, rather than for one month. Urahara will give me a lot of crap about but if I have to I'll just pay him for it. So you can take it nice and slow with this girl your seeing. Oh and here, you might find some use for this." Isshin reached into his desk and tossed a bottle of K-Y to Kon.

Catching the bottle, Kon looked down and stammered thanks to Isshin, "umm, thanks for, ahh, everything, I'll see you around."

Isshin watched as Kon left his office as he chuckled to himself, at least it had gone better than when he had given 'the talk' to Ichigo. Frankly his jaw still made a strange clicking sound sometimes, he really ought to see a dentist about it. Isshin heard a faint squeaking of bedsprings and smiled slightly, thinking he should really try and find himself another woman, but he had yet to meet anyone who came close to Misaki either in terms of looks or brains. He sighed and once again accepted that since her death he was fated to be alone.

A floor above Ichigo and Rukia had not been idle, after making their way inside they had returned to their bodies. Ichigo took hold of Rukia and resumed where they had left off on the street. Driving his tongue into Rukia's mouth, finding a willing and eager partner in Rukia's tongue. Rukia reveled in the feeling of Ichigo's strong but gentle hands finding their way over her body, squeezing her bottom, rubbing her breasts. As they made out Ichigo steered them over to the bed, unbuttoning Rukia's shirt, which was soon on the floor, quickly joined by her bra and skirt. "You look so good wearing that," Ichigo told Rukia, finding her even more appealing wearing nothing but pink Chappy panties and socks. Ichigo didn't know why but the socks seemed to add something that really did it for him.

"Well are you going to just stare at me or are you going to get me off or not." Rukia was ready, all the making out on the way home had left her eager for release, her panties soaked through with her essence. Rarely did she take the lead, preferring to let Ichigo be in control but tonight she was too horny, having been on edge since they had gotten out of the shower. Grabbing Ichigo she pulled him to her and threw him onto the bed and freed herself of her panties. She tore Ichigo's shirt from his body and pulled down his boxers and positioned herself to take him into her mouth. As she did so Ichigo took the hint and went to work, pulling her lips apart with his hands, using his tongue to first stroke along the entirety of Rukia's sex, swallowing the sweet nectar that spilled into his mouth, more still covering his face. He slowly worked his way toward his target, peeking out, ready to be tickled and stroked to send Rukia into a world of bliss.

Rukia slowly stroke Ichigo's shaft with her tongue, letting it dance upon his head, stopping now and again to prolong the pleasure. She felt the heat begin to build inside her body and she stopped her work to tell Ichigo to stop, "wait, I want you inside of me." Rukia rasped, near the edge already. She repositioned herself and with a single thrust of her hips she impaled herself completely on Ichigo's manhood, reveling in the feeling of fullness, of a primordial hunger fulfilled as she rode Ichigo faster and faster, her breath catching in her throat.

The power and speed of Rukia's pace surprised Ichigo, and soon he good hold back no more with a grunt he felt his orgasm overtake him. "**Unnnh, Rukia...**"

Rukia felt the heat of his seed inside of her and with one final thrust she lost herself in the overwhelming waves of pleasure that was her orgasm. The contractions of her sex were powerful enough to make Ichigo climax a second time. Ichigo called out, loud enough to be heard throughout the house, "**AHHHH!!!! GOD, RUKIA I LOVE YOU!!!**"

Rukia giggled and whispered into Ichigo's ear, "that is for making me yell in the shower this morning." Rukia lay on top of Ichigo, totally spent, the only sound in the room being that of their breathing. The post coital peace was broken by the ringing of Ichigo's cell phone.

"Who in the hell is calling me at a time like this?" Ichigo fumed as he reached for the phone, taking a deep breath and answering the call. "Hello, who is this?"

"Kurosaki you dog, it's me, Keigo, can't you bother to look at your phone before you pick up? Anyway I wanted to know if you had any plans for tomorrow?"

"No, we didn't have any real plans." Ichigo answered warily, wondering what Keigo had in mind.

"We huh? So is Rukia there?" Keigo asked, trying to embarrass his friend and succeeding ever so slightly.

"Yeah, anyway what did you have in mind?" Ichigo wanted Keigo to get to the point, he was warn out from a day filled with sex and hollow fighting.

"I already talked to Mizuro, Chad, Tatsuki, Orihime and Ishida, we were all going to go to the beach tomorrow, do you and Rukia want to come with us?" Keigo knew that Ichigo was probably lukewarm to the idea but he figured that Rukia would jump at the chance.

Turning to Rukia Ichigo told her what Keigo had in mind, "Sure lets go, but ask him if Kon and Ryo and your sisters can come too." Rukia was like that, always looking out for other people Ichigo might otherwise forget, she really did make him a better person, he couldn't help but grin slightly.

"Sure will go, but would mind if Yuzu and Karin tag along, and a friend of mine named Kon and his girlfriend?" Ichigo hoped Keigo wouldn't fall into his usual litany of woe about his love life.

"Hey the more the merrier, we'll meet in front of Karakura station at nine thirty." Keigo wondered who this Kon guy was, oh well it didn't matter. "See you tomorrow."

"Alright, see you then." Ichigo hit end and turned to Rukia, "do you want me to call Kon or do you?"

"I'll do it, you clean yourself up and tell your sisters." Rukia smiled and pulled out her own cellphone and called Urahara's. "Hi Urahara, can I talk to Kon?"

"Sure, just one second. Hey Tessai go get Kon, he has a phone call."

Tessai made his way to Kon's room and knocked on the door, "Mr. Kon you have a phone call."

"Ok, I'll be their in just a minute." Kon hurriedly put his pants back on and the magazine he had been perusing into a drawer and headed for the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Kon, I just wanted to tell you that we were invited to the beach tomorrow by Keigo, pretty much everybody is going to be there, you and Ryo can come to if you would like."

"Really?" Kon was suspicious, it wasn't like him to be included in Rukia and Ichigo's plans.

"Yes, really, so are you going or not?" Rukia wanted an answer so she could sleep.

"Yes I'll go, where are you meeting."

"Be in front of Karakura station at nine thirty."

"Cool, I'll see you then." Kon quickly dug Ryo's number out of his pocket and called her cell and was soon on his way back to his room on cloud nine when he overheard Urahara and Byakuya talking.

"So tell me why are you really here? I know you aren't the sentimental type to just drop in and visit your relatives." Urahara looked at Byakuya and gave him a look that had rarely failed to get the truth out of someone.

"They want you to come back." Byakuya cut straight to the chase, "Volunteered to come because I am more sentimental than you thought and I did want to see my sister under better circumstances than our last visit."

"And why exactly do they want me back, aside from my successor now resembling a plate of beef tartar." Urahara thought it was rather funny really, he had never liked Kurotsuchi, he was an ass, and a bad scientist to boot.

"That is part of it, but they need your knowledge, things are getting rather dangerous and they feel like you are the only person who can provide them with the tools that they will need for the war that is on the horizon." Byakuya looked into Urahara's eyes as best he could, and was foiled by that damn hat.

Speaking with a bitterness that came as a shock to Byakuya, Urahara answered his question. "There is no way in hell I will go back to working for them, as far as I am concerned their own paranoia and penchant for secrecy brought this about. I left because I was forced to protect them from themselves because they are incapable of being honest with anyone, even the captains of thirteen court guard companies. So long as soul society is run by a group that is unknown to the people outside the seritei, and who have no reason to listen to what they want or desire, they are unworthy of my help." What came next bitterness turned to outright venom, "A dictatorship is a dictatorship no matter how you try and dress it out. My greatest crime wasn't hiding my work, it was telling them that I hid it because as long as soul society was a dictatorship I would never allow what I had learned to fall into their hands. I challenged the powers that be and I paid the price, but I have no regrets, maybe now they will see the error of her ways, though I find that highly unlikely."

"So that is your final answer?" Byakuya knew that nothing he could say or do would change Urahara's mind.

"It is. Anyway I have a promise I have to keep, you were there today, I have to find a way to return Ichigo's soul to normal. I doubt that it can be done and that I will fail, and not in a little way either. Still I agreed because I feel that I owe it to Ichigo, in the end there is no way to properly apologize to Ichigo for what happened in the shattered shaft." Urahara looked toward the door and spoke, "I know your there Kon, I don't care if you tell the others what you heard because it is the truth. Just don't tell Ichigo what I said about how I feel about his condition, I would rather do it myself."

"Alright, I am going to be gone all day tomorrow with Yoruichi and Tatsuki, so goodnight." Kon headed for his room, lost in conflicting thoughts, hoping that when he awoke in the morning his worries would be gone.

"So how long will you be staying then?" Urahara thought he knew the answer but it turned out Byakuya hadn't been lying when he said he had a sentimental side.

"Like I said before, until the end of the week. We can discuss this more in the morning, until then I take my leave, may the rest of the evening find you well." Byakuya stood up and left the room, leaving Urahara with his thoughts.

"So that is why he's here, well even if he works on me for a week it won't change anything." " Hey Tessai," Urahara yelled, "were going to the beach tomorrow." If Byakuya was going to needle him about coming back he could at least do it someplace with decent scenery.


	9. Day Trips and Training Training Training

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 9

"Yoruichi I am surprised you agreed to come with us I thought that you wanted to work on Tatsuki's training some more?" Ichigo asked as they waited, having gotten to the station before the others.

"I did, but after yesterday I figured it would be nice to get a chance to unwind and relax first, and that didn't happen when I had hoped it would." Yoruichi was normally not the type to let someone she was training slack off, but she figured that since yesterday had been a wash as far as letting Tatsuki rest and relax went they would try again today. Hopefully the results would be better this time. "Still tomorrow it is back to work, and your key to that."

"What exactly will I be doing anyway?"

"You get to find out tomorrow, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," Yoruichi looked at him with a grin that reminded Ichigo far too much of Urahara.

"What are you two talking about?" Karin asked as she and Yuzu joined them after going in to the station to get something to drink.

"Nothing important, anyway where is Keigo, this was all his idea. I figured he would be here before anyone else given his enthusiasm for this kind of stuff." Ichigo scanned the street, seeing neither hide nor hair of his friend.

"He'll be here, and speak of the devil, here he comes. And who is that girl that is with him?" Rukia had seen her around but couldn't place her face or name with anyone she had met.

"I don't know, I'm pretty sure she's from school, but in a different class than ours." Tatsuki answered, curious as to who she was as well.

As Keigo approached they saw that he and his girl friend were trailed by Mizuro and his girl of the moment. "So is everyone ready for a day of fun in the sun? I know I am!" Keigo could barely contain his enthusiasm, clearly getting a girl friend had turned his already sunny disposition up to eleven.

"So are you going to introduce us to your friend or not?" Rukia inquired sweetly, a little too sweetly, and had the desired effect of temporarily throwing Keigo for a loop.

"Oh! Right, this is Chihiro Shiden, she is in class four." Keigo responded, finding his manners quickly enough.

"Hi, I'm Rukia Kuchki, it's nice to meet you."

And so it went, the introductions being made, and beginning again when Chad, Ishida and Orihime showed up. They too met Chihiro Shiden, and Mizuro's current girl friend Megumi Hayabusa. After a final round of introductions that occurred after Kon and Ryo showed up the group headed for the platform to catch their train to the beach. The late morning commuters looked jealously at the students enjoying their break. Wishing that they could avoid another day at the office or on the factory floor and head to the beach, leaving all of the pressures of the workaday life behind.

Ichigo and Rukia settled into their seats, watching the scenery pass by, when ten minutes into the trip Chad sat down across from them. "You know I am getting worried, all of the things that have been happening lately makes me believe that the war is going to begin soon. I've been wondering if this is the last time we will get to be together as friends. Right now we are enjoying the last moments of peace, and once it is gone it will be along time before it returns."

"That maybe, but for now we need to try and enjoy all the chances we have to be together as friends and just be prepared to fight when we have to." Rukia knew what had brought up what Chad was thinking, in truth they had probably all been thinking the same thing. Beginning with Byakuya's appearance and Isshin's revelation she had known that the storm that had been building was soon to break. "Still there is no point in getting to worried today, we just need to relax and go along with whatever Keigo has in mind."

Ichigo looked closely at Chad, curious as to why he had brought up his worries, which was rather out of character for him, "Still, we know that no matter what happens we will fight and we will win, even if it takes a long time." Ichigo stared into the distance out the window of the train car, lost in his own thoughts and fears. He was still afraid that in order to defeat Aizen and his fellow traitors that it would cost him more of his soul, perhaps even the last vestiges of it. For that reason alone he had asked Urahara to find a way to put his spirit right. "Why do you think Byakuya is here?" Ichigo directed his question to Rukia but was not surprised when Chad answered.

"He is probably here to get Urahara and Yoruichi to help the soul society." Chad let his words hang for a moment before continuing. "He has to know that Urahara will never go back, he made his choice long ago, as for Yoruichi," Chad looked across the car to where Yoruichi sat, Tatsuki asleep against her, Yoruichi lightly stroking her hair, "she has a very good reason to stay here now, one that she didn't have before."

"That she does, as do I." Rukia looked at Ichigo as she reveled in the feeling of warmth that washed over her, the physical manifestation of her love. "No matter what the cost is I will stay by your side Ichigo, and here with our friends, even if it meant losing my powers permanently." She meant every word that crossed her lips, secure in the knowledge that Ichigo would remain with her no matter what, and that she would do the same for him.

For his part Ichigo was more concerned with the risks to the innocents that made up so many of the people he knew, like Keigo, Ryo, Mizuro, Chizuro and everyone else at school, and more deeply the people he loved, Karin, Yuzu and so many others. He wondered what his mother would say to him, to help calm his mind. For all the peace and happiness Rukia had brought into his life he had yet to find anyone who could calm his mind in the same way that his mother had been capable of. Rukia was his rock, of that he was certain, but in a different way, not better or worse, just different. Ichigo looked at Rukia with love in his eyes, a love that spoke of the willingness to sacrifice everything for the person he loved.

Seeing the look on Ichigo's face Chad excused himself and joined Karin, Yuzu, Orihime and Ryo in a game of cards.

"Rukia, I love you, and if we make it through all of this would you consider making that love more or less permanent?" Ichigo found the words leaving his mouth before he even had time to consider the import of what he was saying. Still he knew that it was what he wanted and eagerly awaited Rukia's answer.

Rukia had hoped that if Ichigo ever proposed to her that it would be somewhat more romantic. Still he was sincere and she felt the same as he did so their was no point in lying to him. Rukia took a deep breath and gave her answer, "Yes I would be thrilled to make our love permanent as you so succinctly put it." Rukia could not resist the chance to twist Ichigo's tail when given the opportunity. "Besides, we need to think about the future anyway, if we can't look forward to that then there is no pointing in fighting this war. We have our reasons to fight for the future." Rukia said as she ran a hand across her stomach, smiling as she did so.

Ichigo turned pale and nearly squeaked, "Your pregnant?" Ichigo looked as though he had just swallowed a particularly large insect, perhaps a Madagascar hissing cockroach.

Rukia burst into laughter as Ichigo turned various shades, none of them indicative of good health. "No, I am not, but it is fun to make you squirm from time to time, but it is something I would like to do when this is all over. And don't worry, after our first time I have been taking precautions so we will cross that bridge only when we are ready to. But you would make a good father, and I want to be a mother, just not yet."

"Damn it, don't do that to me, I thought I was going to pass out." Ichigo couldn't help but let Rukia's words echo in his mind as they rode onward. She thought he would make a good father. Well he had to admit his old man hadn't done such a bad job himself. He was pleased that she thought of him in that way, yet he could not quite escape the lingering doubt as to wether or not they would ever get the chance, but until that was decided she was right, they had to live like their would be a future. One that could include marriage and children, and perhaps even an escape from his fate.

Lost in his thoughts Ichigo was pulled back to reality by Keigo shaking his shoulder, "Dude snap out of it were here." So they were, picking up his bag Ichigo took Rukia's hand and followed the others out onto the platform and breathed in the salty air, marveling at the change an hour and forty five minute train ride could bring. In the distance he could hear the waves breaking against the shore. They walked the few blocks to the beach, talking about nothing in particular as they went, Orihime dividing her time between talking to Tatsuki about her training and trying to convince Ryo of the benefits of peanut butter and ham.

They walked onto to the nearly empty beach and began to lay out their things when Orihime's eye was drawn to movement further down the beach. "I didn't expect to see you here?!" Orihime exclaimed as she saw Urahara walking toward her and waving.

Urahara closed the distance between them, Orihime thought he looked like a prototypical surf rat, wearing black board shorts and a green and white rash top. "Well I wanted to give Jinta and Ururu some time off, and I figured that if Byakuya was going to spend the day bending my ear as to why I should go back to working for the soul society he could at least do it somewhere with nicer scenery. And I can get some board time in too."

Ichigo watched Urahara and Orihime warily from the corner of his eye, wondering if he was going to deliver bad news to them. Overhearing what he had said, he felt the tension ebb away. Being none to surprised by the news that Byakuya's trip had more than one purpose.

The rest of the day passed as a good day at the beach should, filled with laughter, swimming, food and friendship. As the day began to wane they made their way back to the train station, Ichigo caught a glimpse of Kon and Ryo ducking behind a newsstand to steal some time together, and from the look on her face he was sure they wouldn't be talking. "You know Rukia, I'm glad we came out here today, I am finally starting to feel like everything will work out."

"Good, I was hoping that you could unwind, because tomorrow will be very different. God only knows what Yoruichi has in mind, whatever it is it won't be easy." Rukia was pretty sure what Yoruichi had in mind, and she hoped she was wrong.

The train ride home seemed to go much more quickly, the miles passing by in a flash. As the train pulled into Karakura station Keigo grumped, "This day went by way too fast, and we only have one more week off after this one."

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic, it's not like you work to hard at school or anything." Ishida fired back.

As the made their way onto the street and began to split into smaller groups as they prepared to head home Yoruichi pulled Ichigo and Rukia aside. "Before you head home come over to the store with me and Tatsuki, we need to talk about tomorrow."

Ichigo took Rukia's hand as the fell in behind Tatsuki and Yoruichi, not speaking but just allowing themselves to become lost in each others presence. Rukia was keenly aware of Ichigo's emotions, and could tell from his mannerisms that he was nervous, being forced to finally confront that side of himself which he wished would simply disappear. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and a smile as the walked up to the front of Urahara Shoten. "Well here we are." Rukia looked at Yoruichi and asked her, "how long is this going to take?"

"Only a few minutes, we can talk about it inside." Yoruichi went in through the door and made her way to the dining room, taking a seat next to Urahara.

"How did you beat us back?" Ichigo blurted.

"Easy, we took an earlier train back, and to think your one of the best students in your class, I find that hard to believe."

"Getting down to business," Yoruichi interjected, as the others sat down, "you need to know how this is going to work. Tomorrow when you will take on your hollow form, and you will attack Tatsuki. She will strike at you, she had been working with a hollow gigai but it can only go so fast, we need your speed."

"What if she hits me? I should be able to dodge her strikes, but if she hits me what will happen?" Ichigo was in no hurry to die or have any new scars marring his body.

"She will also be learning precision, because she will know it's you and should hold back as a result. Do you have any more questions?"

"No, I think we will be going then." Ichigo stood up to leave when Urahara said something that heartened Ichigo and helped to restore his earlier confidence.

"You know Ichigo, I think there might be a way to solve your problem, but it is rather drastic, and I still have a lot of research to do yet. I want you to think long and hard about what you really want to do. If I can undo what has already been done you may lose your soul reaper powers, and never get them back. I will tell you more once I know more." Urahara spoke to Ichigo in a way that he never had before, looking straight at him and making eye contact rather than hiding beneath his hat.

"I am not ready to make a decision yet, I may never be, but I am glad to know that there is a chance that I can be made whole again. Thank you Urahara." Ichigo followed Rukia out and into the night.

Yoruichi turned to Tatsuki, "are you going home or were you planning on spending the night here?"

"I was going to stay here, I'll go call my parents and let them know." Tatsuki nearly floated from the room, lost in the bliss that being fully honest with herself and other people had brought her.

"So, can it really be done?" Yoruichi queried.

"I believe so, but it would be very risky from what little I can gather, even then the chance of success is low. The whole process is shrouded in darkness and has been deliberately hidden, by whom I do not know." Urahara was prepared to go forward once he had figured out what all this would require. All he knew for now was that he needed some monkeys to try it out on first, he had better get cracking, as he knew that his attention would soon be directed elsewhere by events beyond his control.

"Well I am off to bed." Yoruichi stretched and yawned as she spoke, knowing that despite her exhaustion that it would be some time before she got any sleep.

"Try not to be too loud, there are children in this household after all!" Urahara called after his friend as she made her way down the hall.

Yoruichi slipped into her room to find Tatsuki sitting on her futon, wrapped in a towel. "How about we take a nice long soak?"

"Mmmmmmm, that sounds fabulous." Yoruichi sighed as Tatsuki rubbed her shoulders. Yoruichi was soon free of her clothes and wrapped in a towel of her own, ready to head for the bathroom. "Wait here for a second." Yoruichi left her room and made her way to the kitchen, and after a minute of searching found what she was looking for. Taking what she needed she quickly made her way back to Tatsuki and pulled her along to the bathroom.

"What did you get?" Tatsuki could see that Yoruichi had been carrying something, but what she didn't know.

"You'll get to find out in a little while." Yoruichi reached and turned on the water to fill the tub, letting it get nice and hot. "Now we need to get you clean." Yoruichi dragged Tatsuki to her and turned on the shower, marveling again at the amazing shower Urahara had put in. Rather than lathering Tatsuki Yoruichi slowly began to lick Tatsuki, starting at the small of her back, working up over her shoulders and down onto her breasts. Taking Tatsuki's swollen bud into her mouth Yoruichi let her tongue dance over the small pink nub. Done with that, Yoruichi continued to lick her way down Tatsuki's body, trailing her soft tongue across Tatsuki's taught abs, slipping her hand between Tatsuki's legs and being rewarded with a sudden heaving of her stomach as Tatsuki let out a ragged breath. Upon reaching her goal Yoruichi looked up at Tatsuki and huskily uttered, "now I will get you clean, you dirty girl." Moving her tongue up and down Yoruichi made sure to linger between each stroke dragging out the pleasure, making Tatsuki beg for more. Once Yoruichi heard Tatsuki's desperate voice, urging her to go on did she comply. Sliding her tongue into Tatsuki she gently sucked in on her center, feeling the heat that radiated from deep within, and sensing that Tatsuki was at the edge of release she stopped. Standing up she pulled Tatsuki into an embrace and let her mouth find her partners as she slipped her left leg between Tatsuki's.

Instinctively she followed along, beginning to move in time with Yoruichi feeling her lovers warm essence flow down her leg. As the pressure began to build inside Tatsuki sped up, taking hold of Yoruichi's breast, squeezing her butt, kissing the base of her neck and soon hearing Yoruichi's familiar whimpering that said she would soon tumble into the abyss that was orgasm. Giving one final thrust of her hips Tatsuki smiled as Yoruichi came seconds before she did, the sound of her lover's pleasure being all that she needed to achieve her own climax. As the haze cleared Tatsuki reached and found a sponge and began to wash Yoruichi from head to toe, slowly lingering over her favorite spots, being extra thorough. When Tatsuki was done Yoruichi returned the favor, taking Tatsuki's hand and leading her to the tub after rinsing off.

Lowering herself into the water Yoruichi pulled Tatsuki down beside her and revealed what she had retrieved earlier. "If we're going to soak we might as well have a drink or two while we do so." Pouring sake into a pair of cups she handed one to Tatsuki who hesitated briefly before downing the drink, being surprised by the flavor, being rich and earthy with a slight hint of citrus.

"This is nice," Tatsuki sighed as she let herself lean against Yoruichi, "we need to do this more often."

"Right you are, how about another drink?"

"O.K., but tell me, what is really going to happen tomorrow?"

"It is just like I told Ichigo, you will attack him and he will dodge your attacks, and I have something in mind to improve your accuracy but you don't get to see it until tomorrow." Yoruichi enjoyed the water and the company but after an hour of talking and drinking Tatsuki was nearly asleep in the tub, after guiding her back to her room, Yoruichi helped her pull on some pyjamas and climbed into bed after her. Soon falling into a restful sleep with her lover in her arms Yoruichi was for the moment completely and fully content for the first time in many years.

On the other side of town Kon had seen Ryo off with a final kiss and was making his way home when stumbled into trouble, and not the good kind either. He saw what appeared to be a hollow, but upon closer examination it had a more human appearance, it seemed to be waiting for someone or something. Being careful to not make any noise Kon hid behind some trash cans and watched as the creature was met by another, and after exchanging a few words they both disappeared. After waiting for several minutes Kon ran back to the clinic as fast as his gigai would carry him. Bursting through the door he skidded to a stop and seeing Yuzu asked, "where is Isshin?"

"Dad is in his office, why?" Yuzu was puzzled by Kon's behavior.

"I saw something and I need to tell him about it." Kon made his way to the back of the clinic and into Isshin's office. "I need to tell you something."

"So what is it?" Isshin asked, wondering if this was something more to do with Kon's new love interest.

"I saw some, some sort of creatures on my way home, they had a presence like hollows but they appeared more human than hollows. They talked for a minute and then disappeared, it was over by the school."

"So, they are starting to gather intelligence, this is not good, but it is to be expected." Isshin was more talking to himself rather than Kon. "Good job, Kon. If they are having to search the area it means they know less than we thought about us, but now they are correcting their mistake. Don't worry about it yet, I will talk to Urahara, I suspect that they were trying to peg the number of potential enemies in this area, but the have failed to do so since almost everyone with spiritual powers was at the beach today." Isshin reached for the phone, lost in thought as Kon took his leave, deciding to crash on one of the clinic beds, not feeling up to walking to Urahara Shoten.

Above him two other people were settling in for the night. Rukia reclined on the bed, still somewhat flushed from her and Ichigo's earlier lovemaking. "Do you think that Kon got lucky tonight?"

"No, but if he keeps it up I think it will happen before the end of the break. What will he do when she tries to learn more about him, he will have to tell her the truth eventually. She will either take it well or she will kick him to the curb, and I don't want to be around him if that happens." Ichigo laid down next to Rukia and turned off the lamp on the night stand. "Good night Rukia Kuchki, I love you." Ichigo planted a kiss on her forehead as he closed his eyes.

"And I love you too, Ichigo Kurosaki." Rukia's answer was automatic, but no less meaningful as she crossed into the world of dreams.

Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the light pouring through the window, slowly taking stock of what lay ahead for the day. Shifting slightly , so as no to wake Rukia he reached for his cell phone and called Yoruichi. "Hey, it's me, what time should I be over there?"

"It's eight fifteen now, say ten o'clock at the latest, and bring Rukia with you." Yoruichi smiled slightly, thinking of how Ichigo must have looked, she thought he looked too cute when he was with Rukia and let his guard down. If he had done so before the girls would have crawled over broken glass to be with him. "So I'll see you then."

"Right, bye." Ichigo let his mind lose itself in thoughts of what lay ahead, the anxiety building inside him. He trusted Yoruichi but was unsure of his trust in himself, well he thought that is why I am going to do this. "Hello there, have any pleasant dreams?" He asked Rukia as she began to stir.

"Hmmm, some were better than others," Rukia mumbled as she rolled onto her side. "Who were you talking to?"

"Yoruichi, she said to be at Urahara Shoten by Ten o'clock." Ichigo put the phone down and continued, "we can take our time to get ready, I figured that we could shower and eat before heading over."

"That sounds good to me, do you want to shower first?" Rukia hoped he said yes, she was not ready to drag herself from the bed.

"That's fine with me, I need some time to think anyway." Ichigo remarked as he headed for the bathroom.

Rukia lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. She was content to not even move, just losing herself in her thoughts, remembering the dream of the night before. It had been a very good dream, made all the more real by the lingering pleasure of her orgasm. With a sigh she let her hand find its way down her body, finding the expected wetness between her legs. Slipping a finger inside herself she recalled the images of her dream, of the way Ichigo had totally controlled her, drawing out the pleasure, making it last for hours, until finally he allowed her release. Quickly she found her bud and began to circle it, first quickly, then more slowly. Nearing her climax she began to furiously pump three of her fingers in and out of her now sopping center, using her other hand to attack her clit and with a shudder and a moan stifled by a pillow she came, collapsing in a heap, licking her juices from her fingers. Panting slightly she jumped as the door suddenly opened.

"Have fun?" Ichigo asked with a grin, as Rukia slowly began to collect herself, getting over the scare Ichigo had given her.

"Yes, but it would have been more fun if you had been here. How about a second shower?" Rukia gave Ichigo a coy look that rarely failed, this time being one of the few.

"As nice that sounds I have to decline, Kon was here last night, he is still here in fact. Apparently he saw something last night and dad wants to talk to us about it."

"Fine," Rukia grumped, having been looking forward to a second orgasm this morning and finding herself denied, "I shouldn't be that long."

Chuckling too himself, Ichigo was still sometimes surprised by Rukia, especially as it related to the physical side of their relationship. He thought it was teenaged boys, not one hundred and fifty-ish soul reapers who had sex on the brain. Ichigo pulled on a pair of black jeans and a Pink Floyd t-shirt. Making his way downstairs he was propelled into the kitchen by the smell of bacon and oatmeal. Seeing Karin and Kon at the table he asked, "where are Dad and Yuzu?"

"A patient came in a couple of minutes ago with a pretty bad cut, they are stitching him up right now." Karin answered, "besides he seemed really amped up today, so he should fly right through this one."

Helping himself to breakfast Ichigo turned as he heard footsteps on the stairs, turning to see a beaming Rukia wearing the purple and grey dress that he had given her only a few weeks before. It might as well have been a year as far as Ichigo was concerned, being amazed at how time could fly and drag at the same time. Forgetting that he was still holding the ladle from the oatmeal Rukia brought him crashing back to earth.

"You must really be hungry after last night, since you're going to eat straight form the pot." Rukia loved to watch Ichigo in these moments, turning red, then purple and spluttering incomprehensible utterances. "You really need to get better at this whole flirting thing, here I'll show you." With those words she pulled Ichigo down into a kiss that lasted for more than a minute. Their tongues exploring each others mouths, taking in all that they had to offer. "Now that is how you respond to something like that."

"I don't know, that seemed to work out for me either way." Ichigo responded as he finished getting his food and joined his sister and Kon at the table. "So what exactly is it that you saw last night?"

"I'm not sure, but they weren't regular hollows, Isshin said he would tell me what they were when you and Rukia came down, but then he got called away. I am pretty sure he talked to Urahara last night, he was dialing the phone as I left the office. Whatever those things are they scared me enough to sleep here rather than walk back to Urahara's" Kon looked nervous, seemingly torn between sharing important information and admitting to his fear.

Rukia took a seat next to Ichigo, eating her oatmeal and contemplating what Kon had said. She was worried that the events of the last few weeks would soon drag her back to the soul society, and away from Ichigo. She was determined to come back to him, no matter what it took. Turning her thoughts toward more pressing concerns, she mulled over what her role in Tatsuki's training was to be, since she had been told to come with Ichigo. "Ichigo, do you think Yoruichi is pushing Tatsuki too hard?'

"No, I mean after all she is just being realistic, if she were pushing Tatsuki too hard they wouldn't be together. Tatsuki is used to working hard, and in some ways she enjoys being pushed, and pushing herself." Pausing to eat a piece of bacon Ichigo continued, "Tatsuki expects to be the best at whatever she does and won't settle for anything less. She is probably setting the pace of her training more than Yoruichi."

"What I can't figure out is my role in all of this, I understand what you will be doing, but why will I be going with you. I don't have anything to offer in helping to train Tatsuki."

"You won't be helping Tatsuki train, you'll be helping me get back into fighting trim." Isshin remarked as he came into the room, he was dressed in a pair of slacks and a shirt that was practically understated for him, being red with a black flame pattern.

"So your just going to close the clinic for the day?" Ichigo looked surprised, it was unlike his father to do something like that on the spur of the moment.

"I called and rescheduled all of my appointments yesterday, the only reason I saw Mrs. Kimura was because it was an emergency and she trusts me more than any other doctor, and at her age that counts for something." Isshin sat down and began to tease Yuzu and Karin, causing Yuzu to become embarrassed and Karin to attack him. All in all it was a fairly typical Kurosaki family breakfast.

"So are you going to tell us about what Kon saw last night?" Ichigo was ready to tackle this problem, hoping to find out something useful but being disappointed with the answer.

"There is not much to tell, Urahara is looking into. It is like I told Kon last night, our enemies are starting to gather intelligence about us. The good news is that with most everyone at the beach yesterday they may not have learned all that much." Isshin stood up once he saw that Rukia and Ichigo had finished eating. "So is everyone ready to go?"

"Yeah, let's get this over with." Ichigo sighed as he made his way to the door, trailed by Rukia and Kon.

"We'll be there in a minute, I need to talk to your sisters first. Karin, Yuzu, as you know Ichigo is a soul reaper, as am I. What you didn't hear the other day is that Ichigo is not completely normal, even for a soul reaper. I won't say any more, if he wants to explain the rest to you I will leave it up to him." Isshin led the girls out and locked the door behind him. "Yuzu and Karin are coming with us, right now it is to dangerous to leave them alone."

Ichigo and Rukia joined hands, causing Yuzu to look away slightly, not knowing why, but feeling embarrassed all the same. Still she had to get over her discomfort, it was obvious that they loved each other. "Karin, do you think Ichigo and Rukia can ever have a normal relationship?"

"What do you mean by normal? Look at the old goat and Mom, they had something similar, as do Tatsuki and Yoruichi. It doesn't matter what they are so long as they love each other. Who decides what normal is anyway." Karin left her last thought hanging, giving Yuzu something to ponder as the walked, covering the ground fairly quickly.

"Welcome!!" Urahara called brightly, seeing his friends arrive, "and who are these two lovely young ladies?"

Karin and Yuzu both seemed to be pleased and embarrassed at the same time by Urahara's reference to them as young ladies. "These are my daughters Karin and Yuzu, girls this is Kisuke Urahara." Isshin introduced his daughters to Urahara properly for the first time.

Karin replied first, "it is nice to meet you. So why didn't you introduce us properly the other day?"

"Uhh, I guess because it kind of slipped my mind." Isshin admitted somewhat hesitantly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Urahara." Yuzu said, remembering her manners.

"Please just call me Urahara, oh and I would like you to meet some friends of mine. This is Tessai Tsubakishi, Jinta Hanakiri and Ururu Tsumugiya."

Karin and Yuzu introduced themselves to the strange group of people before them. Making their way inside they followed Tessai into the store room when he reached down and pulled up a section of floor to reveal an opening that was hidden in plain sight. "Tatsuki and Yoruichi are already down there so you can begin right away, Tessai and I will be watching the store. Have a good time." Urahara sang as he made his way back to the front.

"So what is down here anyway?" Yuzu asked Jinta, who was standing nearest to her, as they waited their turn down the ladder.

"It's just a big room, with a few trees and big rocks in there, it is not much to look at but it works OK for us." Jinta answered in a rather bored tone.

Her turn to go down the ladder arrived, and Yuzu began to slowly make her way down. Taking in the immensity of the space below the store. It was a room that seemed to be at least one thousand feet to a side and about one hundred or so feet tall. The upper three fourths of the walls and the ceiling had been painted sky blue, scattered about were a few stunted and sad looking trees. As she reached the bottom of the ladder she made her way over to the rest of the group who were gathered around a big wooden box.

"So you will wear this and Tatsuki will try to destroy the target plates." Yoruichi said as she held up a harness from a parachute pack to which several rods had been attached each of which ended in a holder for a clay pigeon. It looked rather silly but was also rather ingenious.

"Umm, I hate to say this but, I won't be able to see most of what is going on." Yuzu looked rather embarrassed, but not wanting to stand around and just watch Tatsuki. She wanted to see what her brother and father were capable of.

"I might have a solution to your problem," Rukia offered, gesturing slightly with her right hand to Isshin as she spoke. Seeing his nod of approval she reached into her bag and pulled out a red finger less glove emblazoned with a flaming skull and walked over to Yuzu. "Before I do this why don't you and Karin go up there." Rukia gestured toward an escarpment off to the left side of the room. "Well this will come as something of a shock so just bear with me here, are you ready Yuzu?"

"What are you going to do to me?" Yuzu asked, suddenly very nervous. "Will it hurt?"

"Relax, it won't hurt, all I am going to do is separate your soul from your body. They will remain attached through the chain of fate, and I will put you back when were done. While your soul is out of your body you will be able to see what is going on." With those words Rukia softly placed her right hand against Yuzu's forehead and gently pushed, encountering less resistance than she had expected.

Yuzu felt a cold feeling on her head and pressure that seemed to build in her chest when with a pop she was standing behind her body. Karin was to stunned by what she saw to do anything as Yuzu's body began to fall toward the ground. Seeing what was about to happen Jinta quickly stepped forward and deftly caught Yuzu before she hit the ground. "Oh, thank you Jinta." Yuzu said as she stared in amazement at her body, now laid down under a tree.

"It was no problem, don't try to move around to much, it takes awhile to adapt to moving without a body. You are probably having trouble breathing right?"s Jinta looked at Yuzu with what appeared to be slight amount of concern on his face.

"It is not too bad, but it is strange to be like this it feels, just, _weird_. So what is in the box?" Yuzu was now looking at the others who were preparing to begin training, leaving their bodies and gigai's, Rukia popping Kon out of his gigai and carrying him over to the box and walking inside and emerging about a minute later.

"A hollow gigai, it is used to train soul reaper trainees, right now Kon is in it. It is specially designed to protect him from the attacks. They are just going to use him to warm up, watch."

With a sudden cry of "**Go!!**" from Yoruichi, Isshin, Ichigo and Rukia went at the hollow Kon. Isshin made the first attack, delivering a swing that cut across the gigai's chest from left to right in a downward direction. Rather than cutting into the gigai a bright blue line appeared where his blow had landed. Ichigo went in next, running at Kon from the right who tried to dodge but was fooled when Ichigo suddenly Shun Poed and came at Kon directly from above and struck a blow to the top of his head which caused a green line to appear down the center of the giagi's mask. Yuzu was wondering why the blows were leaving different colored lines had her question answered when Rukia's blow overlapped Isshin's and appeared as a purple line. Yuzu realized that the different colors would allow the instructor overseeing the training to assess the effectiveness of each student.

"Alright stop!" Yoruichi called, "Ichigo wins, his blow killed, Rukia, Isshin, why didn't you go for the head, you both know that is what you need to do."

Rukia answered first, "Ichigo and I fight together so often that we have agreed that whichever one of us goes first aims for the head the second for the body to slow it down in case the first attack doesn't kill."

"That is all well and good but right now you two are competing against each other. What is your excuse Isshin, it had better be a good one." Yoruichi looked at her former student and waited.

"Well, I guess I just wanted to go in swinging and I let the excitement get the better of me and forgot about basic tactics." Isshin was somewhat bemused to be in the same position again so many years later. The more things changed the more they stayed the same as the saying went.

"Let's go again, this time the first to deliver three fatal blows and two immobilizing blows wins, come here Kon." Yoruichi reached into her pocket and pulled out a small blue card which she slipped into a slot on the gigai's mask, and suddenly the lines of the three previous blow disappeared. "And ready, set, **Go!!**" Yoruichi shouted once Kon had put some distance between them.

Yuzu and Karin could barely follow what happened next, all three soul reapers using Shun Po and delivering blows so fast that their zanpakutos were mere blurs. "The old goat is pretty impressive huh Yuzu?" Karin remarked, speaking of her father with awe rather than he usual tone of annoyance or disdain. Within approximately ninety seconds all three had returned to the space directly in front of Yoruichi and awaited her judgement.

Yoruichi examined Kon, sure enough there were nine overlapping lines on his head, four on his right leg, on his left and another that ran from above the right hip midpoint of the pelvis. After a few moments thought she declared Isshin the winner and delivered her critique. "You all did well, Ichigo your blow here," indicating the cut above the hip, "This blow may not have immobilized him, otherwise you would have won. Rukia you did well but you need to build up your speed, you should be nearly as fast as Ichigo in his non ban kai state. Isshin you still have it, but you really do need to work on your endurance."

"I think I should have won, that blow would have taken his leg completely off." Ichigo offered somewhat weakly, knowing that he had missed his point of aim slightly.

"That is true, but not everyone has a zanpakuto as large as yours, and the scoring system is designed to account for the differences in zanpakutos to level the field for those with smaller blades. So you win but you lose. For the last warm up you will have to hit the target on Kon's chest ten times, but you must not use ban kai." This last rule was directed at Ichigo who had in fact been considering using his ban kai, taking advantage of his greatly superior speed. "Also, there is five point deduction for each blow that fails to strike the target, and you each start with twenty five points, a maximum of one hundred and twenty five points is possible."

Yoruichi was interrupted by Byakuya, "do you mind if I join in?"

"Not at all, did you hear the rules?" Yoruichi replied

"Yes, twenty five point starting score, no ban kai, ten blows to the target and a five point deduction for each nontarget blow. It is easy enough to understand."

"Good, then **Go!**"

While all this was going on Tatsuki had not been idle, taking up a suggestion from one of Urahara's friends she was practicing using her powers to destroy clay pigeons. Readying herself, Tatsuki took a deep breath and called to Ururu, "**Pull!**" Watching the clay fly she used her arms to aim as she had practiced before and taking a slight lead she called out, "soul release!" and was pleased to see the clay break up in mid air, a symbol of her success. Calling for another clay she was taken somewhat by surprise when the next one was not a flier but a runner, skittering along the ground. Reacting fast she took aim and said once again "soul release!" This clay to came to its end a black and orange puff.

On the other side of the training room Byakuya, Ichigo, Rukia and Isshin went after Kon. This time Kon was not making it easy on them, taking full advantage of the fact that the gigai he was now inhabiting transmitted only minimal pain to him. Forcing all four of them take far to many swings, dropping their point totals. With a suddenness that surprised all of them Yoruichi called an end to the fight.

"You have all hit the target ten times, so now you get to find out who wins. You do want to know don't you?" Yoruichi wore a sly smile, knowing that they all did, but only Isshin and Ichigo would admit that they did want to know the outcome. "In fourth place with thirty five points Isshin, in third Rukia with forty points, and tied for first Ichigo and Byakuya each with ninety points."

"I, I lost?!" Isshin deplored, wondering if he had really fallen so far.

"Not only did you lose, you came in dead last, and no you are not that bad, it is just that they are that good, they are the two of the best I have ever seen." Yoruichi gave an honest appraisal of the two soul reapers before her. "Now how about we get down to the business your here for, Tatsuki it is time. You can come out of that giagi Kon, unless you three want to fight him some more?"

"I could use the practice, what about you two?" Isshin answered and asked.

"Sure, I can go some more." Rukia added.

"If Kon doesn't mind staying in there then I can keep going." Byakuya said.

"It is no problem, I am ready when ever you are." Kon looked like he was having fun, at least as far as anyone could tell.

"Here you guys will need this." Yoruichi reminded them, throwing the instructor's key to Isshin. "Have fun, and don't hurt yourself Isshin."

"Well I guess I should put this silly thing on." Ichigo sighed, consigning himself to looking like a fool for the next couple of hours. "So how does it look?"

"Better on you than Kon." Tatsuki reassured Ichigo.

"So are you ready, we'll start with you in ban kai, and after she gets the hang of that we can go on to next phase." Yoruichi told Ichigo in a voice that she hoped was reassuring.

"Well here we go, **Ban Kai!**" Ichigo called out.

Yuzu and Karin were both taken aback when their brother suddenly appeared in a different outfit, and holding a markedly smaller sword, that was all black except for its edge, and possessed a swastika shaped tsuba or hand guard. They could barely see Ichigo as he moved away from Tatsuki and Yoruichi, giving them more space to work with. Across the room Byakuya turned to watch his sister's lover move in his ban kai form. He was still amazed by Ichigo's speed, unlike Shun Po, which was largely a form of visual deception his peed was real, there was no trickery in how quickly he moved. With his speed he was extremely difficult to face, in his hollow form he was likely unconquerable, at least to Byakuya. He truly did admire Ichigo's strength and character, feeling that Rukia could not have found a better man.

"Ok, Tatsuki just like we have been practicing, take it one step at a time. Just focus on the target and attack as soon as you can." Yoruichi took several steps back from Tatsuki and signaled Ichigo to begin. He charged straight at Tatsuki leaving his zanpakuto sheathed, feeling no need to draw his blade, feeling an increase in spiritual pressure form Tatsuki he dodged to his left and was satisfied to see the blast miss well to the right. Varying his direction and speed he continued to close in on Tatsuki, making her miss repeatedly, allowing her to destroy only two of the six targets before tapping her on the shoulder, ending the round. Backing away again the process played itself out several more times, with Tatsuki getting better each time, until she managed to destroy all six plates while Ichigo was outside of striking distance three times in a row. Yoruichi looked a her watch and called out, "Stop!!, let's take a break, and get some lunch and then we can go for about two more hours after we get back. Rukia take care of Kon and Yuzu."

Rukia clambered into her gigai and pulled on her glove and popped Kon from the hollow gigai and dropped into his human one. Making her way to where Yuzu's body lay she turned to Karin and Jinta, "hold her up by each arm for me. Yuzu make sure you stand right in front of your body Ok?"

"Alright." Yuzu stammered, nervous that she might get stuck like this, she felt a cold presence in her chest followed by a slight backward pressure and suddenly she was back in her body.

"Are you alright?" Jinta asked before Rukia had a chance.

"Yes, everything is just fine." Yuzu examined Jinta carefully, looking at him and wondering why he lived here with Urahara. Despite her wish to know more, her personality held her back from asking what could be construed as impolitic questions. Yuzu followed the others back up the ladder into the back of Urahara's store and headed down the hall ster the others to the dining room and found the table set for lunch with a selection of takeout sushi platters and two big bowls of fruit.

Ichigo and Rukia sat down across from Byakuya and began to discuss their plans for the future, such as they were. "So what will you two do if Rukia has to go back to the soul society?" Byakuya asked in a way that told Ichigo that his question was more than theoretical.

"I will wait here for her, or I might go with her, you aren't going to take her back with you are you?" Ichigo asked with a guarded look.

"No, and if I tried to force her back she wouldn't go. But it might happen given recent events."

Rukia spoke up, surprising both Ichigo and her brother, "I am going to resign form the thirteen companies and request permanent reassignment to remain here in Karakura with Ichigo, the should grant my request, it is the least they can do after what happened."

"Really? You would do that for me?" Ichigo could hardly believe what he had heard. He knew that Rukia would do a lot for him, but he hadn't expected her to give up her position to remain with him. Mulling over what it all meant, Ichigo decided that it was just more proof of how much Rukia really did love him.

"Of course I would do that for you, that is what love is all about." Rukia laughed, enjoying the moment, forgetting why they were here and what it all meant.

As they ate Ichigo couldn't help but notice that Yuzu was spending a surprising amount of time talking to Jinta. She had always had a fairly easy time making friends, but they way she looked at him told Ichigo that she might have found her first crush, it was a little funny really. He hoped that it worked out for her. He just hoped his father didn't make a scene. Pushing aside his plate Ichigo picked an apple from the bowl of fruit and leaned back, mentally building himself up for what lay ahead.

Yoruichi looked around and saw that everyone was done eating and decided that it was time to get back to work, but Ichigo would need to decide if he was going to tell his sisters about himself or not. "Ichigo I need to talk to you for a second." Yoruichi pulled Ichigo out into the hall, "so are you going to let your sisters know what you are before we continue or not, you can't hide it forever." Yoruichi watched Ichigo carefully, but gleaned nothing from his expression or body language.

"I don't want to tell them, but I don't really have much of a choice do I." Heading back into the room Ichigo waited as everyone else left for the training room, stopping Karin and Yuzu. "I need to talk to you two for a minute." Taking a deep breath Ichigo prepared himself to come clean and stop hiding things from his sisters, "I don't really know how to say this, but here it goes, I am not normal. Well, normal for a soul reaper, when I regained my powers to rescue Rukia it didn't quite work out and I became something different, what exactly that is I don't know. I possess two sides in my spirit form, my soul reaper side, and," pausing again Ichigo let out a breath and continued, "my hollow side. You will see that in just a few minutes, and I don't want you to be frightened."

"Oh, Ichigo!!" Yuzu embraced her brother, tears running down her cheeks, "why didn't you tell us before?"

"I, I was afraid that you might be scared of me." Ichigo hated to speak these words but knowing them to be true he said them anyway.

"Don't be stupid," Karin sniffled, having lost her composure and joined her sister in embracing Ichigo. "We could never be afraid of you."

Ichigo could think of nothing else to say, and simply let his sisters hold him, taking solace in their presence. In holding him he knew that they found the reassurance that hey needed and was more than willing to give that and so much more. He looked down and vowed to himself that no matter what he would redouble his efforts to become as strong as he could, so he would be able to protect his sisters no matter what. Hollow side be damned he thought, I will overcome you in the end and banish you to where you belong, not for me but for them and everyone else. After several quiet minutes Ichigo disentangled himself from Karin and Yuzu, "I need to go back down stairs, are you coming?"

"Of course we are." Yuzu sniffed, still slightly choked up.

As the made their way to the ladder down to the training room Ichigo found that he possessed a new confidence about confronting his hollow side. Walking over to Yoruichi he picked up the target harness and began to pull it on, having already exited his body. Moving away from Tatsuki he found a piece of ground that offered him a decent view of his opponent, well one of them anyway. "Here we go. **Ban Kai!**"

Karin and Yuzu watched from their perch on the escarpment, joined by Rukia, Byakuya, their father, Jinta and Ururu. "I don't get it he looks the same as before?" Yuzu said in a puzzled tone.

"Just keep watching." Isshin remarked, never having closely observed this before himself.

Gathering his willpower Ichigo reached up with his right hand and focused, slowly drawing his hand across his face from left to right, shivering at the empty, cold feeling that washed over him as the mask appearated onto his face, obscuring his visage. Crouching down he ran straight at Tatsuki, holding nothing back, he drew his Zangetsu and waited to feel the approach of her strikes, they never came. Ichigo moved so quickly Tatsuki lost sight of him and was soon stunned to see Ichigo standing before her, the back edge of his blade resting lightly on her shoulder. "I guess I win." Ichigo said with a smirk that went unseen.

"So you do." Tatsuki responded, taking in Ichigo in this state for the first in detail. She was both intrigued and repelled by the mask of bone behind which her best friend was hidden. Taking in the red lines above the left eye that curved downward to join into a point and a forth beneath that same eye, the glistening teeth that seemed to be trapped into a permanent, menacing smile.

Yoruichi did not know what had changed in Ichigo, but she was surprised to find that he no longer seemed to be holding back in this state. Whatever had been said had allowed Ichigo overcome his fear and find the strength to truly subjugate the hollow inside him. His speed was unreal, he moved so fast he was difficult for even Yoruichi to follow. "Let's do it again, and reign in the speed a little this time ok."

"Sure." Ichigo turned and with a single bound put a good three hundred feet between them. Turning he once again drew his blade and attacked, feeling a sudden burst of spiritual pressure pass to his right, sensing another attack coming he feinted left and broke back to the right, causing Tatsuki to miss once more, laughing out loud as he realized that there was nothing to fear, knowing that he had found what he needed to dominate the side of himself that had so recently threatened to devour him. Weaving around Tatsuki he continued to dodge her attacks, letting her learn to keep attacking, noting that her reaction time was getting better and adjusting accordingly. Finally after nearly an hour she managed to destroy the target plate above Ichigo's right shoulder. "Good Job, only five more to go," Ichigo yelled as he Shun Poed and came around behind Tatsuki, but she was getting better at detecting spiritual pressures and quickly spun, firing a blast of spirit energy at Ichigo that shattered the target off his left side. Their battle continued for another two hours with out much change, Ichigo dodging and Tatsuki slowly improving, destroying three more of the targets when Ichigo decided to end the fight, having become bored with the whole thing. Using three Shun Po in quick succession he charged Tatsuki from the left, and rather than counting coup as before made a rather powerful demonstration of the skill with which he could wield his zanpakuto. Deftly cutting a small lock of Tatsuki's hair from above her left ear and catching on the side of his blade which had come to rest on her shoulder once more. Dissipating the mask with his right hand Ichigo smiled at Tatsuki and said, "I win? Or do I?" He said, knowing that as he had made his cut she had destroyed the final target.

Yoruichi knew that Ichigo had won, but at the same time lost, his decision to show off his skill had added the slimmest amounts of time that had allowed Tatsuki to fire off one last attack that broken the target before his blade came to rest on her shoulder. Before Yoruichi could declare Tatsuki the winner Ichigo did it for her, showing that he knew what had happened as well as she did.

"Congratulations, you win."

"What, but you, it was a draw." Tatsuki was confused and pleased at the same time, looked to Yoruichi for an explanation.

"Ichigo's showing off gave you time to break the target before his blade came to rest on your shoulder, you win, barely but you win." Yoruichi shook her head, finding it hard to believe that Ichigo would do something so foolish.

Isshin stood next to Byakuya, stunned at the speed and power his son had shown, to say nothing of the endurance, Tatsuki looked about ready to pass out, while Ichigo looked ready to run a marathon. Turning slightly he spoke, "you fought him like that?"

"I did, but he had no control over his hollow side then, that is the only reason I survived. Now I would not be so lucky, though it is nowhere near as frightening. When we fought I found myself staring into eyes that belonged not to anything human but a beast that was totally bent on my destruction." Byakuya was unable to keep a slight sound of awe out of his voice. To think that he had thought that he had stolen Rukia's powers, he had allowed his arrogance to blind him to the power resided in Ichigo. In less than a year he had become a captain level soul reaper, and he stood to only become stronger.

Yuzu and Karin were speechless, just staring at their brother. Finally Yuzu spoke, "he is amazing!"

"You got that right." Karin replied, wondering if she might someday be able to do tenth of what Ichigo or her father could.

"Are you guys gonna chew the fat all day or are you coming upstairs with us?" Yoruichi called from the foot of the ladder, grinning despite herself. After a moment the rest of the group made their way toward the only exit and awaited their turn to ascend back into a world of uncertainties.

"Hey where is Kon? I haven't seen him since lunch." Rukia asked as she began to mount the ladder.

"He took off after we ate, said something about a hot date," Isshin added after answering, "I wonder how it went?"


	10. Questions Asked and Answered

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 10

Ichigo leaned against the door frame, considering all that had taken place in the last few days, learning so much yet being left with so many unanswered questions. Why had his father chosen to reveal the truth about himself in the last few days. Why was the soul society so desperate to have Urahara and Yoruichi back, and what would his and his friends role in the upcoming war be. It all left him lost in thought that consumed him, staring off into space with a distracted look on his face. Only to be pulled from his trance by Rukia's lips finding their way onto his own.

"If you keep wearing that face I might begin to think that something is bothering you." She coyly remarked as she broke their kiss. "So what is on your mind?"

"I'm just trying to figure out what all this means and why it is happening now. I feel like there is something very important that I am missing and it will be important in how this all plays out." Ichigo smiled and continued, "still there is no point in worrying about things I can't change. So what should we do now?"

"Let's head home, I just want to unwind this day has been pretty tiring." Rukia said as she stifled a yawn. "Besides I have an idea of how we can relax," Rukia told Ichigo with a licentious glint in her eye.

"You know I would have never taken you to be the insatiable type, not that I mind, but it seems a little surprising."

"What, soul reapers aren't allowed to have a healthy sexual appetite?" Rukia playfully responded.

"No, it is just that you seem always ready to go, that is a side of you I didn't know before a few weeks ago." Ichigo marveled, "sill I am more than happy to oblige you."

"Oh, I am sure you are. I guess I am trying to make up for lost time, both between us and since my last relationship."

Ichigo took Rukia's hand and led her toward the front of the store. There he found his father and sisters preparing to head home as well. After they said goodbye to everyone they started the walk back toward the Kurosaki clinic. Rukia looked curiously at Yuzu as she walked along, apparently lost in thought. Wondering what could be so occupying her mind she turned to Ichigo and asked him if he had any idea of what could be bothering her.

"Is it just me or does Yuzu seem distracted about something?"

"She is, you didn't notice it at lunch, but I did. She spent a lot of time talking to Jinta, I think she might have something of a crush on him." Ichigo told Rukia with a smile and a slight shake of his head.

"Really? On Jinta? That is so cute, what do you think would happen if I asked her about it?"

"I'm not sure, you might as well try." Ichigo said with a slightly guarded look, curious himself as to how Yuzu would react, but wanting to avoid any further tension between himself and Yuzu.

Rukia sped up slightly and took hold of Yuzu's shoulder and pulled her back to where she and Ichigo were walking. Not knowing quite how to go about broaching the subject Rukia decided to take the direct approach. "Yuzu do you have a crush on Jinta?" In a way even Rukia was taken aback by the bluntness of her words.

"Umm, ahh...why would you say that?" Yuzu asked with a pained look as she turned fire engine red.

"Well Ichigo was saying that he noticed that you spent an awful lot of time talking to him today and you seemed to be thinking really hard about something just now." Rukia hoped that invoking Ichigo's name would not make the situation any worse.

"Well...I guess so," Yuzu admitted as she looked down at her feet. "He seems really nice and he is kind of cool. I would like to know some more about him."

"There is no reason to be embarrassed about being attracted to some one. If you want to know more about him you should go over there tomorrow and ask him yourself. There is no use in pining away in silence and hoping that the other person will make the first move. I got very lucky because your brother did make the first move, though I could have done so long before he did. Still, it worked out for us and maybe it can work out for you." Rukia smiled and remembered her own first crush, it had all been so innocent and childlike. "If you ever need someone to talk to about these kind of things I am always willing to listen, so don't be afraid to ask, okay."

"Thank you Rukia, you are right. Tomorrow I'll go see Jinta and find out more about him." With these words Yuzu moved to catch up to her sister and seemed to be moving with a more spring her step having been freed of her worries for the moment.

"You know," Rukia said as she turned toward Ichigo, "I think she is starting to grow up, it seems like she is becoming more aware of the possibilities out there for her. That will be good for her, she really is to young to be spending so much time worrying about things like cooking and housework."

"Yeah, I have always worried a little about that, I feel like it is partly my fault that she is in that position. I know that it's not true but I would like her to have more of a life her own. Hopefully Dad won't try to give her, or more likely both of them the talk, it certainly didn't go well between the two of us." Ichigo shook his head, thinking back to a couple of years before. He had never hit his father that hard before or since, him and those damn hand puppets.

Walking through the streets of Karakura in the fading twilight the Kurosaki family, and Ichigo thought of Rukia as part of his family now, headed for home. It seemed to be a perfect moment that let time come to a standstill, walking hand in hand with Rukia, Ichigo allowed himself to take it all in. He reveled in moments like this, where all of his worries and fears fell away and he was able to simply bask in the love of his family and the closeness that it brought. Turning toward Rukia, Ichigo began to speak, "You know there is something I need to get for you. I mean I have already asked and you did say yes so it only makes sense."

"What are you talking about?" Rukia inquired with genuine confusion, her limited knowledge of the workings of the real world being exposed once again.

"A ring of course, you did say that when this is all over you would marry me so I need to get you an engagement ring." Ichigo wondered where he would find the money for such a thing, well if he had to he would just take some temp jobs or work for Urahara for awhile. Pulling Rukia aside he stopped in front of a jewelry store window and began to point out some rings to her, seeing what she seemed to like and what she disliked. He was heartened by her response.

"It doesn't matter how expensive it is, or what it looks like. If it is from you it will be perfect." Rukia planted a quick kiss on Ichigo's cheek and began to lead him the last few blocks back to the clinic.

As they made their way through the door Rukia caught a glimpse of Yuzu looking rather distracted again as she tried to prepare dinner. Seeing the look on her face Rukia decided to offer her help in the kitchen, figuring that she would have to learn to cook at some point and feeling that she might as well start now. "I am going to help Yuzu with dinner, why don't you go and just crash in front of the tv for awhile." Rukia made this suggestion in a voice that Ichigo was powerless to resist and soon found himself surfing through the channels for something to watch, finally settling on a baseball game between the All Nippon Ham Fighters and the Henshin Tigers, not really caring who won or lost, being a Giants fan himself. Still it provided a nice distraction from the stresses of the day.

Putting on an apron and taking directions from Yuzu, Rukia soon found herself charged with a task that proved to be no great challenge, slicing vegetables. Still it was a chance to talk some more to Yuzu, and in a more private setting. "So is their anything you want to ask me?"

"Well how do you know if someone you like likes you as well?" Yuzu had been stewing about this for several hours and could think of nothing to provide her with a definitive answer.

"The only way is to say how you feel and to find out if they feel the same way. For the longest time I knew that I had feelings for Ichigo, and I thought he might feel the same about me. But I didn't know for sure until he came out and said it. Their is no way to look into someone's heart and to know how they feel. If there was then love would be meaningless, the whole thing about love is the mutual trust between two people that can not compare to anything else." Rukia looked at Yuzu with a gentle smile and continued, "in your case I think it is still too early to be thinking about love, first you need to learn more about Jinta."

"But what if he doesn't like me?" Yuzu asked with a worried look.

"He spent a lot of today talking to you didn't he? If he didn't like you he wouldn't have spent all that time with you, or shown near as much concern for your well being. I don't know a lot about Jinta but I do know enough to be sure that if he didn't like you he wouldn't have spent all that time with you." Rukia shook her head, wondering if this was really Ichigo's sister, she seemed to have been born without the typical Kurosaki decisiveness. Still it was nice to see that Yuzu was just like everyone else in some ways, despite the maturity that was well beyond her years. Finishing with the carrots she had been cutting, she moved on to the broccoli as Yuzu asked a rather unexpected question.

"Rukia, what is sex like?" Yuzu asked without looking up from what she was doing, being as red as the uncooked meat she was slicing.

"Ummm...well...isn't this a question that your father would be better equipped to answer." Rukia stammered, having been put completely out of her element with a single question. One that she had brought on herself with her earlier promise to answer any question Yuzu might have.

"He has already told me and Karin about the birds and the bees, but I want to know more than the technical stuff." Yuzu continued to avoid eye contact with Rukia, being all too aware of the awkwardness of the moment.

For her part Rukia hurriedly tried to find the words to explain what sex felt like, and how to differentiate between sex and lovemaking. Sex was fun and pleasurable, and Rukia had found an outlet for her drive in this before meeting Ichigo. But with Ichigo it was so much more, the love between them took their physical acts to a new level that was in many ways impossible to quantify or describe with mere words, but she would do her best. "Well I guess the best way to describe it is as a feeling of warmth and pleasure all over your body. At the end it is like having all the pleasure you have ever felt overtake you in a single, massive wave." Rukia hoped her description would suffice because she could think of nothing else to say without going into more graphic detail, her hopes were soon dashed however.

"What...what is it like to have someone inside you?" Yuzu nearly whispered this question, turning even redder, not being sure where the nerve to ask these questions had come from.

Rukia was taken aback, realizing that Yuzu wanted to know more than she had thought, and not being sure if she should continue, but she decided to press ahead. "It is a wonderful feeling of, fullness, it is like nothing else in the world." Swallowing hard Rukia said something that surprised even her but she hoped that broaching this subject would help to end Yuzu's current line of questioning, and she reasoned that it was something that Isshin had already covered. "There is a way for you to get some idea of what it is like." She swallowed hard again before continuing. "I'm sure that your father probably mentioned it, at least in passing."

"You don't mean, touching, myself? That's gross." Yuzu seemed to be genuinely shocked and a little disgusted at the idea of masturbation.

"There is nothing wrong with it, after all I do it, in fact I did it just this morning. True it is not as good as being with someone else but it still feels really good." It was now Rukia's turn to blush with embarrassment.

"But your with Ichigo!" Yuzu demanded.

"True, but sometimes he isn't around and at other times I might just want to do it for myself. I don't love him any less, it is just one more thing we can do to add a little variety to what we do. Sometimes we even do it together." Rukia smiled to herself as she thought back to those few desperate minutes in the second floor bathroom at school between classes, finding herself becoming aroused with the memories. "It is up to you to decide what wether you try it or not, I can only tell you what I know. So is there anything else you want to know?" Rukia silently prayed as to what her answer would be.

"How would I, umm, do that?" Yuzu asked, expending the last of her newfound courage, at least for the day.

Rukia was once more thrown for a loop, desperately trying to find a way to explain something that came so naturally. "You just need to try different things and find what you like, there are no right or wrong ways to do it." Much to Rukia's relief Yuzu had no more questions, they continued to work on dinner, talking about things like school and the weather, trying their utmost to act as though the previous conversation had never happened. Rukia busied herself with helping Yuzu, but being continually distracted by the thoughts of what had been said only a few minutes ago. As she made her way to tell Ichigo and the others that dinner was ready she caught Ichigo's eye with a look that told him they needed to talk in private after dinner.

For his part Ichigo was curious to know what had transpired between Rukia and Yuzu. Whatever it was he would find out soon enough. Ichigo watched Yuzu carefully during dinner, she remained quiet throughout the meal and appeared to be thinking about something. Karin on the other hand was rather more animated than usual, talking excitedly to Ichigo and Rukia, as well as her father about what she had seen at Urahara's.

"So do you think I might have some sort of powers? Maybe even soul reaper powers?" Karin asked.

Ichigo and Isshin traded a look, knowing that she probably did but that the only way to reveal them held great dangers. Isshin spoke first, "You probably do, the thing is there are only a couple of ways to find out and they are both extremely dangerous." Isshin tried to skirt the issue of what finding out would entail, knowing that it was most likely a futile effort. And it was.

"What are the ways I could find out?" Karin stared at her father, awaiting his answer but turned to her right as Ichigo answered her question.

"One option is to cut your chain of fate and go into the shattered shaft, where you will either become a soul reaper or a hollow, or something else." Ichigo added, considering his own experience, he continued, "the other is to allow yourself to be attacked by a hollow and to find your powers to protect your self or someone else. That is what Tatsuki did, but there is always a chance that things can go wrong and you could be hurt or killed." Then Ichigo hit upon an idea, one that for now could answer his sister's question with no risk to herself or anyone else. Closing his eyes Ichigo began to concentrate, allowing the spirits around him to reveal themselves. Reaching out he felt spirit ribbons sliding through his hands, finally he found the one he sought and grabbed it, opening his eyes he looked at the reiraku he held and smiled slightly to himself. Isshin and Rukia looked at the reiraku in Ichigo's hand and wondered why they hadn't considered doing the same thing.

Karin stared at her brother and the ribbon he held, "what is that, and where did it come from?"

Rukia spoke next, "it is your reiraku, if you were like your sister or another normal person it would be white, if it were red it would mean you are a soul reaper, silver a Quincy, hollows have black reiraku. Yours' is white edged in red, it means you have soul reaper powers but that they have not yet been revealed. People like Tatsuki, Chad and Orihime have unique reiraku, just like they have unique abilities. Chad's is dark blue edged in gold, Orihime's is green and Tatsuki's is yellow with vertical orange stripes." Rukia then was curious enough about something to find a spirit ribbon herself. After a moment she held Ichigo's and keeping it hidden in her lap she opened her hand and looked down. Just as she had suspected it was no longer pure red, it was edged on one side in an interrupted black line. Letting go of Ichigo's reiraku Rukia went on, "every one has a reiraku, once you have developed the skill it is possible to detect them, the closer someone is the easier it is to find their reiraku. It is a physical manifestation of your soul, if you have spiritual powers you can learn to disguise it, to an extent." That was a skill that Ichigo had never mastered, his spiritual power being so naturally high that it was basically a lost cause.

"So when can I try to find my powers?" Karin's question to her father put Isshin on the spot.

"Well, uh...I think that it might be best to wait for a while before we need to think about that." Isshin was very uncomfortable with this, he had always known that once Karin knew what he and Ichigo were that she would want to find her own powers. The problem was that there was no way to safely do so. The shattered shaft could destroy her or make her into something akin to Ichigo. Letting her fight a hollow had a low chance of success since they were trying to bring out soul reaper powers and that had only worked for those with decidedly non-soul reaper powers.

"Karin, do ever feel like someone is whispering to you, that you are hearing something? But you can't make out the words, that is your zanpakuto trying to tell you it's name. If you hear that just clear your mind and listen, if you can hear the name you can find your powers. To be able to hear it you have to discard all your fear and find the desire to take control of your power, and you can not waiver, even for an instant." Ichigo remembered his own first encounter with Zangetsu and the fear that had at first hidden his name from his ears. Only when the fear had fallen away had he been able to find the strength to call him forth.

"So that's what that is. If I can learn my zanpakuto's name I can call out my powers. But how do I do that?" Karin was willing to do anything to gain her powers.

"The problem is that you have to be in a life and death situation to be able to hear your zanpakuto clearly. And in your Konpaku form as well." Isshin left unsaid that she would have to cut her chain of fate as well, leaving open the real possibility of death or becoming a hollow depending upon which tack they tried. "Look for now you need to concentrate on school and things like that, you can try and find your powers when your a little older."

Karin began to protest but to her surprise Ichigo cut her off. "You need to understand, if something goes wrong when you try to gain control of your powers you could die or become a hollow and have to be destroyed. The question is are you willing to risk that, you need to consider the fact that as a soul reaper you would have to dedicate yourself to fighting the hollows." Ichigo looked intently at Karin as he awaited an answer to his question.

"I'm not sure if I want to take the risk, but what will happen to me if I don't take the risk?" Karin answered Ichigo's question with one that left all three soul reapers in the room without anything to say. Her feelings were rather to the point. If she tried she would either succeed or fail, but if she never took the chance she would be left wondering what if. "I need to know wether I have the strength to do this or not, I will wait. For now, but if I feel like I am ready to try I will do so. This my decision to make, and not anyone else's." Karin's last remark was directed at her twin who was about to object, but found that her words would be pointless and decided to save the effort of arguing. As Karin got up to put her dishes in the dishwasher she added a final comment, "besides, if all of you are called away because of something who is going to protect me or Yuzu if we can't protect ourselves? We'll just have to learn to be self reliant."

As the Kurosaki family dinner came to end another meal was ending in a restaurant a few miles away. Kon waited for the bill, pleased with how this date had gone, he was surprised by how enjoyable this all was. Without a time limit on his body hanging over his head he was free to just sit back and enjoy the ride. Looking across the table at Ryo, Kon smiled and said, "You know, there is something that I have wanted to know for a while now."

"And what is that?" Ryo replied with a smile of her own.

"Why exactly did you agree to go out with me in the first place?" Kon was euphoric enough to let down his guard and open a line of questioning that would soon put him in a rather awkward position.

"Because your cute, and funny, plus you seemed to be a nice person. And I was right about that. The more time I spend with you the more I think your one of the kindest people I have ever met. So why don't you tell me more about yourself?"

Kon suddenly began to desperately search for a way to talk his way out of this predicament but could find none and decided to be as honest as possible. He hoped that Ryo would believe him, he soon had an idea of how he could do that. "I will tell you all about myself in just a few minutes, but first we have to head back to where I am staying." Kon nervously awaited Ryo's reply.

"Alright, you can wait if you want to talk in private. But I might make you pay for that later." Ryo added with a look that caused Kon to swallow hard and think that he was either going to be dumped or get lucky in the next couple of hours. After paying the bill Kon took Ryo by the hand and led her out onto the street, not feeling like walking the rather considerable distance back to Urahara's he hailed a cab. Kon worried that this night was not going to end well, still he had to give it his best. Pulling out his cellphone he dialed Urahara's number and waited for an answer.

"Hello, Urahara Shoten, Yoruichi speaking."

"Hi Yoruichi, I need a small favor, I'll be back at the house in just a couple of minutes."

"Sure, what do you need?"

"I'll explain when I get there but you should be able to handle it." Kon gave a silent prayer that this would go well.

"So is there anything else?" Yoruichi asked, her curiosity having been piqued.

"No, I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Ok, bye." Yoruichi hung up and suddenly yelped as Tatsuki came up behind her and squeezed her breasts. "As nice as this is it will just have to wait, Kon is on his way back here and he needs some sort of favor." Despite her words Yoruichi did nothing to escape Tatsuki's grasp. "Damn, that feels nice, mmm" Yoruichi sighed, hoping that whatever Kon needed that it wouldn't take long because she had been horny before his call, now she was flat out ready. Hearing the bell at the front of the store Yoruichi finally freed herself from Tatsuki's grip.

Kon walked through the door and led Ryo through the door into the hall that led to the office and house. "Hi, Yoruichi." Kon said as he saw her waiting outside the office for him.

"So do want to tell me what this all about?"

"I need to explain some things to Ryo and I can't really do it entirely on my own." Kon said with a hint of embarassment in his voice.

"I see, where do you want to do this?" Things are going to get real interesting Yoruichi thought.

"The dining room would be fine." Kon answered as Ryo gave him an inquisitive look.

"Ok, and someone is there who can help explain some other things as well." Yoruichi added with a slight grin. Leading the way she slid open the door to reveal that Byakuya, Urahara and Tessai were sharing a bottle of scotch.

"Kon, what are you doing here?" Urahara wondered out loud, thinking something must have gone wrong with his date. But seeing the look on his face and Ryo's he decided that wasn't the case.

"I need to tell Ryo about myself and I thought that maybe you could lend a hand." Kon said with a look that blended nervousness and embarassment.

"I'm happy to help, so why don't you two have a seat." Urahara leaned back and waited for the show to begin.

"Ryo, do you believe in ghosts?"

"Not really, besides what does this have to do with you telling me about yourself?" Ryo said with an edge of annoyance in her voice. Knowing that he couldn't back out now Kon pressed on.

"Well it's like this, I am not exactly a normal human. I am a mod Konpaku. A modified soul if you will. I was created in the soul society as part of a research project. When that project was canceled I was the only one to survive out of all the mod souls that where created." Kon could see the anger and confusion on Ryo' face, turning toward Urahara he added, "well now is as good a time as any."

Ryo sat with her mouth agape as Urahara picked up his cane and simply pressed it against Kon's forehead and with a small pop he slumped to the floor. Urahara caught something in his left hand and gave it to Ryo.

"What you are holding right now is Kon, the body he inhabits is an artificial structure called a gigai. For quite some time he had been living in a stuffed animal with Ichigo, as strange as it might seem his soul really is there in your hand."

"Looking at the small pill in her hand at the body on the floor Ryo with a worried expression asked, "will he be all right, you can put him back right?"

"Of course, just drop him into the gigai's mouth and he will be back to normal." Urahara grinned and waited for Kon to gather himself before continuing. "This probably raises more questions than it answers so fire away."

"What is this soul society, and why was Kon created, and why were others like him destroyed? And what does that have to do with ghosts?" Ryo was no longer angry with Kon, but she was confused, and she needed answers, and now.

"Well you see when people die they go onto the soul society, but not all of them do, these are the ghosts Kon was talking about, not everyone can see them. There are also fallen souls that become creatures called hollows that feed on the souls of the living and dead alike. People known as soul reapers are responsible for sending on the souls of those that do not immediately cross over, those souls are called wholes and to fight and destroy the hollows. Kon was created as part of project to create enhanced souls that would be put into dead bodies to help fight the hollows, but eventually the program was canceled and all of them but Kon were destroyed. Even in your own class at school there are two soul reapers, a quincy and three people with rather," Urahara searched momentarily for the proper word before going on, "exceptional abilities."

"Who are they? And what is a quincy?" Ryo sat somewhat stunned as she tried to absorb all the information she had just been given, yet she still harbored a bit of doubt.

"A quincy is a normal person with special skills and training to fight the hollows, they are an ancient, and now almost extinct order. As for your classmates if you think carefully it should be self evident. Judging from the that look you don't quite believe all of this, well I have a way to fix that, Yoruichi if you would please."

"Certainly." Yoruichi had already pulled on her glove and with one deft movement sent Ryo's soul flying from her body.

Ryo couldn't quite figure out what had just happened, one minute she was sitting there, the next she was staring at her own body sprawled on the floor.

"Now Byakuya if you be so kind?" Urahara added wryly.

"Of course." With out any fanfare Byakuya left his gigai and stood across the tale from Ryo in his true soul reaper form.

"Byakuya is a soul reaper, the reason you can see him right now, even though you can not usually see spirits is because your soul has been separated from your body. Don't worry we will put you back. So long as the chain is intact there is nothing to worry about." Urahara was having fun, it was rare that he got to play the teacher, and he had so many wonderful props in the room too, it was just too much fun.

"So can you see me?" Ryo asked in a shaky voice to Kon.

"Yes, and I hope that you can accept me for who I am, I can't do anything to change what I am, and I wouldn't want to. Being with you has made me happier than I have ever been before, but if you want to leave I understand, this all bit much to take in all at once." Kon looked a Ryo and waited silently for her answer, his eyes betraying his nervousness and fear that he was about to be rejected.

Ryo thought hard for a long moment and began to speak, "of course I accept you. It doesn't matter how you were born or made, what matters is the kind of person that you are. And you are a kind, gentle a funny person, a person I want to be with." Ryo fought back tears, not wanting to cry in front of strangers, only to be brought back to earth as she tried to move toward Kon. She struggled to move, or even breathe.

"Just wait a second, I will put you back in your body and then we will get out of your hair." Yoruichi said as she moved toward Ryo's supine form. "Urahara, Tessai hold her up." Once they had pulled her body into a standing position Yoruichi directed Ryo to stand directly in front of her body.

Ryo closed her eyes and waited for what she figured would be pain but was surprised when all she felt was strange tingling and coldness I her chest. Feeling as though she was being pulled backwards she momentarily lost her balance and fell.

Kon caught her and helped her sit down as Urahara and everyone else made their way out as promised. "So are you going to be allright?"

"Yeah, so that is why you wanted to bring me here. I am sorry if it upset you when I asked you about yourself at the resteraunt." Ryo didn't give Kon a chance to answer, instead planting a long and passionate kiss on him. Feeling the tension of he past few minutes ebb away she lost herself in the embrace of someone she realized she was growing to love. "So why don't we go someplace a little more, private." These words being spoken with a giggle and look that made Kon leap to his feet and take Ryo's hand and guide her to his room.

As they made their way into Kon's room Ryo began to take control, pushing Kon back toward the bed. Once she had pushed him down she set to removing his clothes, freeing him of all that he wore with what seemed to Kon to be record speed. Pulling off her blouse and bra, revealing her small pert breasts to Kon for the first time. "Are you sure you want to do this, I thought that you wanted to take this slow."

"I do, I wanted to get to know you, the real you. Now that I have I am ready to go the rest of the way." Without further ado Ryo stripped herslef of her skirt and panties, but Kon stopped her as she went to remove her stockings.

"Don't, you look really sexy wearing just those." Kon mumbled, being somewhat embarassed.

Moving to the bed Ryo laid down beside Kon and resumed the kissing that had been earlier cut short. Reveling in the experience, the feel of his hot breath on her lips, the gentle touch of his hands on her body and the scent of his hair. Pulling away Kon slowly made his way down Ryo's body, lavishing every inch with kisses, paying particular attention to her small but shapely mounds. Slowly kissing and sucking first on one breast, then the other Kon could feel Ryo squirming with pleasure as he sucked gently on her breasts, never biting or nipping, just being gentle. Feeling that he had spent enough time on Ryo's chest he made his way to her center, which radiated heat and dripped with her essence. Ryo shook slightly as Kon took in the prize that lay before him. Once more Kon asked Ryo if this is what she wanted, "If you want me to stop just say so ok?"

Ryo smiled as she looked down at Kon, "It is Ok, just go ahead and get started." Ryo could say nothing else as her breath became caught in her throat as Kon slowly licked the outside of her womanhood, sending a shiver through her body. Ryo had plenty of experience with masturbation, but nothing she did to herself could compare to the feelings she was now experiencing. She gasped as Kon slipped a finger inside her, finding that as he had suspected he was her first, as she was his. Gently he began to ease his finger in and out while he continued to use his tongue, licking up and down in time with the movements of his hand. Ryo' breath became ragged as she neared her peak, suddenly she arched her back and let out a small yell of pleasure as her orgasm overtook her. Kon continued to lick and pump his finger, becoming covered with Ryo's nectar, within seconds he drove her to a second orgasm which left her lying spent for the moment, unable to even speak. After a few moments she pushed herself up and reached down next to the bed a retrieved a condom from her purse. "Better safe than sorry," she said with a smile as she unwrapped the condom and slid it onto Kon's throbbing shaft. "Let me be on top ok." Kon nodded and waited. Ryo straddled Kon and slowly began to lower herself onto him when she stopped, feeling him pressing against her hymen. Gritting her teeth she slowly thrust her hips down and pulled up and thrust down a second time and with a small cry of pain she took Kon completely inside herself. Panting, she paused to gather herself, while she did so Kon sat up and embraced Ryo, consummating the moment with a kiss that bespoke of more than mere passion, but of love. Slowly Ryo began to move her hips up and down, increasing her pace with every few thrusts, the pleasure washing away the pain. Ryo was totally focused on Kon, desiring to return some of the pleasure he had given to her, not caring if she came again, simply wanting Kon to find his release.

For his part Kon was lost in a world of pleasure and joy that he wouldn't have believed to be possible. He was amazed by the warmth and tightness that surrounded him, each movement of Ryo's hips sending another crashing wave of pleasure across his entire being. Suddenly he felt a new urgency within himself and began to speed up his own thrusts, taking the lead from Ryo. With a few powerful and needing thrusts he found his climax and called out Ryo's name as he came. Panting he fell back, suddenly drained from the physical and emotional release of the moment. "That was amazing!" Kon marveled, "I never thought it would be that good!"

"I know what you mean." Turning slightly Ryo planted a kiss on Kon's cheek before asking, "which way to the bathroom, I need to get cleaned up before I head home."

"Down the hall, second door on the right." Kon knew that Ryo would have to head for home but it didn't make the fact any easier to take. Still better than spending the evening trying to conduct a postmortem on his relationship, which had been a real possibility when the night began.

Losing himself in thought Kon suddenly realized that what he had been feeling was love. It was grander and more fulfilling than he had ever conceived of. After Ryo returned form the bathroom Kon went a took a quick shower, and after pulling on some shorts and t-shirt he helped Ryo change the sheets on his bed. Which nearly turned into another round of lovemaking but they managed to control themselves. Partly out of pragmatism and partly out of exhaustion. Kon then decided to take Ryo home, but to do so in way no one else could. After pulling on his running shoes Kon ducked down and told Ryo, "hop on to my back and I will take you home."

"You don't have to dot that, I can walk." Ryo protested weakly, being genuinely touched by Kon's consideration.

"Oh not as fast as I can carry you, I want to show you what the mod in mod Konpaku is all about." Once Ryo had her arms firmly around Kon she waited and was stunned by the speed and stamina that Kon displayed. From Urahara's to her house it was nearly two and a half miles, but Kon covered the ground in only about five minutes, jumping over a six foot chain link fence for good measure. "And here we are, so goodnight." Kon leaned down and kissed Ryo, holding her close to him, not wanting the night to end but being forced to accept that it would. "I love you." Kon whispered into Ryo's ear as they ended their embrace.

"And I love you to." Ryo said in the same hushed, almost awed tone. With a final kiss and a wave at the doorstep Ryo made her way inside. Kon turned for home, being somewhere well past cloud nine. He jumped over several telephone poles out of joy and excitement. Finally finding his way back to Urahara's after a good hour and a half of blissful wanderings. Pulling off his shoes he collapsed onto his bed and soon found himself in a land of dreams that allowed him to experience the joys of the night again and again.

Several hours before at the Kurosaki residence Rukia had been about to tell Ichigo of her conversation with Yuzu when that old and seemingly inevitable enemy to intimacy and quite moments reared it's ugly head. It was the all to familiar beeping of the hollow alarm on Rukia's cellphone. Looking at the device that was so vital yet so despised she sighed as she saw the nature of the problem. "Hollows, four of them, and something else, what exactly it doesn't say."

"Where are they?" Ichigo asked as he rifled through a desk drawer to find his soul candy, but being caught short when Rukia suddenly caught him with a open handed blow under the chin. "Thanks, I guess I need to get more gikongai."

"They are in the square across from the station, they don't seem to moving around much yet." Hurrying to the window Rukia jumped into the street followed by Ichigo. Running quickly they made good time and soon reached the square, what they found was rather disconcerting. Each of the hollows stood at one corner of the square, while something that looked like a cross between a hollow and a human stood in the middle of the square at the foot of a statue honoring local soldiers killed during the Russo-Japanese war.

"So what do you think?" Ichigo whispered as they watched form a hidden vantage point of a second floor terrace of a cafe.

"We should peel away the hollows and deal with that, whatever it is. I will take the one at the south corner and the east corner, you take the north and the west."

"Fine with me, let's get this over with." Ichigo jumped down and drew his Zangetsu from behind his back and ran at the hollow at the northern corner first, and with a single deft blow he severed its' head. If this one was anything to judge by this would be an easy fight, and a short one too boot. Turning to the west Ichigo made his way toward the second hollow, this one tried to doge his first attack and merely succeeded in delaying the inevitable for a minute at the cost of large gash down its' back. Kneeling down Ichigo built up a burst of power in his legs and jumped high into the air and came at the hollow with a devastating blow, his blade being driven by the weight of his falling body. With a roar the hollow slumped to the ground, never to rise again. Turning Ichigo saw that Rukia had dispatched her two hollows as well. With a nod Ichigo turned toward their fifth and final opponent. Sensing the considerable spiritual pressure from this, thing Ichigo asked, "what are you?"

"I am an Arrancar, and I will be your doom." Suddenly the creature drew a zanpakuto and took up a defensive stance.

"Is that so, how about now. **BAN KAI!**" Ichigo called, but not stopping there, with simple wave of his hand the mask that revealed the darkness deep within appeared once more. Ichigo awaited the first attack, and it was not long in coming. His opponent was powerful, but had very little skill at wielding his blade. Seeing an opening Ichigo pulled his Zangetsu back and let lose with a powerful blast of spirit energy which staggered the Arrancar. Sensing that the fight was won Ichigo moved in for the kill. Taking one powerful swing that found its' target true and square. Ichigo thought that there was a certain irony that the blood of the Arrancar was now splattered across a statue dedicated to the memory of the dead. Turning to Rukia he dissipated the mask and spoke, "so what is it you wanted to tell me earlier?"

"Oh, that, well it was some things that Yuzu asked me when I was helping her with dinner." Rukia said, completely nonplussed by Ichigo's multiple transformations.

"And just what did she ask?"

"Well she wanted to know what sex is like. I told her as best I could. She was rather, um, shall we say taken aback when after that I suggested that she should try masturbating." Rukia was somewhat reluctant to share this last tidbit of information but she was unable to lie to her lover.

"Bwahahahahahahahahaha," Ichigo shook with palls of laughter that caused him bend over, holding his sides, after a minute he straightened up and wiped some tears from his eyes and began to speak. The amusement obvious in his voice, "so did she come around at all."

"She did, she even asked me how to do it, I told her just to try different things and to find what she liked. Yuzu also said that your father had already given her and Karin 'the talk' as you put it." Rukia shook her head, still having trouble believing that her conversation with Yuzu had really happened.

"So what now?" Ichigo asked as they stood below the window to his room.

"Well I guess we can do what I had in mind this morning." Rukia responded with devilish grin.

"That sounds good to me." Pulling Rukia into his arms, Ichigo deftly jumped through the window and set Rukia on his bed. Pulling himself into his body Ichigo watched as Rukia did the same. It never ceased to amaze him that she could go from powerful and confident soul reaper to an exposed and vulnerable woman within a few moments. Taking her into his arms Ichigo looked down into the eyes of his love and became lost in the depth of those intriguing blue orbs. Making his way to the bed Ichigo laid Rukia down. "You know I think I am starting to get used to this whole being in love thing." Without any further words they made love, being able to anticipate the wants and desires of each other, never missing a beat. Unbeknownst to them something was happening just a few feet away.

Yuzu lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Her mind was churning over the talk she had with Rukia earlier in the day. She knew that there was nothing that she could do as far as Jinta was concerned until tomorrow. She had spent most of the night avoiding conversation with Karin, who was now sound asleep on the other side of the room. After looking at the book that her father had given them she had made up her mind to take Rukia's advice and give it a try. Slipping a hand beneath her nightgown she began to feel herself and was somewhat surprised to find a dampness that she had never experienced before. Slowly Yuzu raised her hand and sniffed her fingers, being surprised by the slightly sweet, flowery scent. With some trepidation she licked her fingers, and was pleasantly surprised by the taste. Moving her right hand back down she continued to explore, slowly feeling the softness of her outer lips, the moist warmth of her opening and the electric feeling when she found her clit. Yuzu used her left hand to spread her lips apart and began to rub in small circles, occasionally slipping her index finger inside herself. Once as she did this her thumb slipped across her nub, sending a shock down her spine and a new surge of wetness onto her hand. With a suddenness Yuzu achieved her first, and certainly not last orgasm of her life. Yuzu forgot that she was not alone as the pleasure consumed her and sent her thrashing and moaning, "**UNNNHHHH, AHHHH**" Yuzu fell back onto the bed with a sigh and softly panting, suddenly all to aware that she had been making noise, a lot of noise. Looking across at Karin, Yuzu was relieved to see that her sister was still sound asleep. Turning onto her side Yuzu closed her eyes and basked in the afterglow until she drifted off to sleep.

For her part Karin lay in her bed, grinning to herself. So her sister had finally started to grow up. Karin had been masturbating for nearly a year, and it was her father accidentally walking in on her that had prompted 'the talk' a couple of months back. She wondered what had changed in Yuzu, it was unlike her to try something like masturbation with her in the room. But it was someplace fairly private, and until Yuzu's moaning had woken her Karin had been fast asleep. The only problem now was that she was awake and feeling a little horny herself. After about ten minutes Karin decided that her sister's breathing signaled that she was asleep Karin made her way to the bathroom and had an orgasm of her own.

As the night wore on most people sleepy comfortably in their beds, some people remained awake and alert, focused on the task at hand. In a copse of trees at the edge of town Jinta had been lying in his hide, carefully watching the open field before him for the past nine hours. Dawn was fast approaching, and his relief from the tedium that was staring at a whole lot of nothing. He had no idea why Urahara had him out here, but he had his reasons, and Jinta had his orders and he knew when not to cross or disobey Urahara. Hearing a rustling behind him Jinta turned to see Ururu crawling up behind him. "It took you long enough to get here, your nearly an hour late." Jinta's words were angry but barely audible, not wanting to do anything to give away his position.

"I'm sorry but something came up and Urahara wanted to wait and see if anything came of it but nothing did." Ururu words carried a tone that spoke of both anger and penance.

"Whatever, I am going to go home and try to get some sleep." Jinta slowly made his way deeper into the trees on his hands and knees until it was safe to stand and make his way back into town by a rather circuitous route. Maybe tomorrow Jinta could find out what all this was about. He also hoped that he might have a chance to see Yuzu again, for a girl she was pretty cool. Jinta allowed himself to become lost in thought and soon he found himself unlocking the door to the store, once he was inside he made a beeline for his bed and was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, the final thought in his mind before becoming lost in slumber was of Yuzu. What would the new day bring, he would soon find out.


	11. Helping Hands

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 11

Ichigo awoke with a start, he had been dreaming peacefully when suddenly a voice full of hate and venom had begun to speak, one that he was sure he had silenced just a day ago. Looking at his alarm clock he decided that there was no use in going back to sleep. Slipping from the bed he penned a note to Rukia and made his way downstairs after pulling on some clothes. He lost himself in thought as he ate a bowl of Cheerios, being only vaguely aware of the sounds coming from the clinic. Knowing that dwelling on what had happened would do nothing to solve the problem he decided that what he needed was a distraction. Standing up he put his bowl in the sink and made his way down the hall and into the clinic. Finding his father trying to deal with three patients waiting to be seen and field a phone call at the same time Ichigo offered his help, "Do you need a hand?"

"That would be great, get these people checked in and pull their records, you know the drill. Oh and put on some scrubs too." Isshin answered distractedly, finally able to focus on one thing at a time.

"Ok, first form a line, then I need to know your name and what time your appointment is, if you don't have an appointment take one of these," Ichigo held up a clipboard with a couple of forms on it, "and write down what your symptoms are and when they started." After a few moments Ichigo soon had three people checked in, two filling out forms and had just pulled on a pair of blue scrubs over his clothes when the door came flying open and in rushed a distraught looking woman clutching a small boy to her chest, both were covered in a not inconsiderable amount of blood. She was babbling incoherently, but Ichigo caught enough to hear that he boy had somehow fallen and cut open his arm. "It is going to be alright, why don't you come with me so we can take a look and see how bad it really is." Ichigo led them back to the second exam room and went to get his father after looking at the cut. He didn't think that it was too serious but he needed his father's opinion before stitching shut the wound. Stopping at the door to his father's office he knocked twice and waited for an answer.

"Come on in Ichigo, what is it?" Isshin asked as his son leaned through the doorway.

"A kid just came in with a twelve centimeter laceration on his right arm, I need you to take a look at it before I close it up just in case there is any muscle damage."

Following his son to the exam room Isshin pulled on a pair of gloves and pulled the exam light down to get a better look at the cut, it was long but fairly shallow. Running from the elbow to nearly the wrist. After a few moments Isshin pushed the light up and looked through the history that the boy's mother had filled out. "There is no muscle damage, you can go ahead and clean and close the wound, and give him some Amofen since there is a fair bit of debris in the cut to prevent infection, after that he can go home." Isshin wrote out the prescription and made his way back to his office. Smiling to himself, Isshin thought once again of how his son would make a great physician if he chose to pursue that path, he was blessed with the same gift of which his mother had possessed, the ability to calm people with a few words and a soft smile. Since he had been with Rukia he seemed to be finding this ability more and more.

Rukia had been the last person in the Kurosaki household to awake and was somewhat disappointed to find that she was alone. Stretching and yawning she stood and made for the door, stopping to read the note Ichigo had left her. Smiling she went and took a quick shower before making her way to the clinic, where Yuzu and Karin had taken over checking in the patients, and there were plenty of them after yesterdays cancellations. "Where is Ichigo?" Rukia asked Yuzu, who she thought looked rather more chipper than usual.

"He's in exam 2 taking care of a kid with a cut on his arm." Yuzu responded brightly, and she continued, "and I want to thank you for your advice yesterday, it was, helpful." These last words being delivered with a slight blush.

"It was nothing, besides I owe you for all that you do around here." Rukia found Ichigo busily debriding and cleaning the cut on the arm of who he now knew to be Naota Ashima, age seven and a half. And he seemed particularly proud of the half part.

"So, what were you doing when you fell down?" Ichigo asked as he continued to work, not knowing where this small talk came from, he just followed his instincts in these situations and it seemed to help calm people down.

"I was playing tag with my friends, and I tripped on the curb and fell."

"Well from now on you need to be a little more careful." Finishing with cleaning the cut Ichigo swabbed the wound with betadine and soon had closed it with fifteen stitches. "And there we go, all better now." Ichigo wrote down what he had done and handed the form to the boy's mother. "Just take this out front and one of the girls will help you take care of the bill, this is for you." Ichigo added as he handed the boy a lollipop. "I will go and get the medicine for you and that will be it." Ichigo began to clean up, separating the trash into the proper cans, and putting all the needles and syringes into the locked sharps box. Turning to head for the supply room to get the medicine his father had prescribed he was stunned to see Rukia leaning against the door frame, looking at him with an expression that she usually saved for more intimate moments.

"I always knew that you were a gentle person, but I never knew that you helped your father out with patients." Rukia smiled and waited for an answer.

"Well, usually I don't, at least not lately, but I needed to clear my mind. If I have to worry about someone else's problems I can't dwell on my own. And he needed the help today." Ichigo looked carefully at Rukia, trying to discern what she was thinking, she provided him with an answer.

"You know seeing you do things like that make me love you even more, and want you even more. When do you think that we could steal a few minutes alone together." Rukia put on her best come hither look as she spoke. Silently laughing as Ichigo became putty in her hands.

"Maybe at lunch, until then we are going to be pretty busy, but maybe this will help tide you over." Ichigo pulled Rukia to him and let his mouth find her's. Their tongues did battle as Ichigo let his right hand find its' way inside Rukia's panties and with a few quick but gentle strokes sent a flood of desire coursing through her body.

"Damn I forgot how big a tease you are, now I need to go put on a new pair of panties." Rukia playfully grumped.

"No, stay in those, I want you good and ready when we start."

Over the next several hours Ichigo helped to get the vitals of over a dozen people, help set a broken arm and explain to a little girl of three or so why she shouldn't put things up her nose. Finally at around one he went out front and saw just one person waiting to be seen, old Mrs. Kimura, here for the follow up on some tests that had been run last week. Ichigo sat down next to Yuzu and began to talk. "So how has your day been?"

"Busy, but not too bad." Yuzu said with a smile.

"Why are you so happy?" Ichigo looked carefully at Yuzu, knowing something had changed in her, but unsure as to what it was.

"Oh, I am just happy that's all. So what are you going to do today?"

"I didn't have any real plans, after lunch I figured that I would help out until closing but after that I might go out with Rukia but nothing is set in stone." Ichigo saw his father coming down the hall and went to talk to him, "Dad I was going to have lunch with Rukia, I should be done around two fifteen or so. After that I was thinking that if I stay here Yuzu could have the rest of the afternoon off."

Isshin looked at his son with a smile, feeling fairly confident that eating was not the first priority for Ichigo's 'lunch'. Still he was right that if he stayed there was no reason for Yuzu to hang around. "Sure I don't see why not, just don't wear yourself out at lunch.." Isshin laughed and slapped Ichigo on the back as he went on his way.

Ichigo ignored his father's ribbing and made his way to the living room and found Rukia sitting on the couch. Without a word he knelt down in front of her and pushed up her skirt and pulled her sopping panties to the side and began to slowly kiss every part of her opening, reawakening the flood of nectar. Taking in every drop he began to suck gently on Rukia's clit, planning on getting her off right then and there, but she stopped him.

"Mmmm, I wish we could keep going but I think maybe we should be somewhere a little more private."

Taking her hand Ichigo pulled Rukia along, up the stairs and down the hall to their room. As soon as the door was shut he pulled her panties off and was back on his knees continuing his earlier ministrations. Taking her lips into his mouth he tugged gently at them first the right then the left. He then once more began to tease her clit, alternating between sucking and gently licking, Ichigo reached up and caught Rukia as her knees buckled from the waves of pleasure pulsating through her. Lowering her to the floor he pulled her dress off of her and was now rewarded with the sight of a flushed and sweating Rukia sitting on the floor before him. Ichigo spoke for the first time since he had started, "enough foreplay let's get to the main event." Ichigo had shed his clothes in seconds and made his way to Rukia and entered her from above with a grunt, a hunger burning in his eyes. Ichigo pulled Rukia's legs up onto his shoulders and settled into a smooth rhythm, sliding himself in and out with both power and gentleness.

For her part Rukia had simply become lost in the feelings that were coursing through her, she was trapped in world of pleasure. Moaning and whimpering Rukia felt an earth shattering orgasm building inside of herself. With a shudder her climax broke like a tidal wave against the shore. Her center convulsed and contracted as she came, pouring fourth yet more of her warm essence, puddling on the floor. Even as Rukia squirmed underneath him Ichigo continued to thrust in and out of Rukia. **"OH, GOD ICHIGOOOOO, PLEASE MORE!!!!!"** Rukia hungered for more, she wanted, no needed to cum again.

Ichigo smiled and whispered into Rukia's ear, "Oh, I will give you more." With an evil grin Ichigo pulled out of his lover and began to trail kisses down her sweat covered body. He spent the next few minutes sucking and licking her breasts, taking her swollen and eager buds into his mouth and nibbled and sucked until Rukia was once more on the verge. Only then did he descend to her center once more and began to drive his tongue in and out of Rukia's sopping center, then turning his attention to her nub, which he began to suck on, using two of his fingers to reach inside her and find the place he sought. Feeling the soft, tender place on the top of Rukia's womanhood Ichigo gently began to massage her g-spot as he continued to make use of his mouth and tongue. Suddenly he was drenched in another flood of sweet nectar of which he drank deeply as Rukia moaned and called out. Finally Ichigo slid himself back into the still climaxing Rukia and with a few desperate thrusts he came as well. **"AHHH, RUKIA, I...LOVE YOU..UUNNHHH!!!!" **

The feeling of his hot seed erupting inside her sent Rukia into a third orgasm, **"OH YES... AHHHHH!!!!"** that left her spent, unable to move form where she lay, with Ichigo lying spent on top of her. After several minutes lying on the floor holding each other and struggling to catch their breath. "Wow, I have never experienced anything like that ever before, where did you learn how to do that?"

"Oh I have my ways." Ichigo made a mental note to send Urahara a thank you note for the book he had given him, it had turned out to be very useful indeed. "But I think we had better clean up." Ichigo said as he examined the mess all around them, from torn clothing to the floor slick with sweat and the effluences of their lovemaking. They were both similarly coated, their bodies glistening with the physical proof of their love. Pushing himself off of Rukia Ichigo helped to pull her up. The first thing they did was to clean up the floor, which took longer than expected do to the flood that Ichigo had triggered. Once the room was clean they made their way to the bathroom for a shower, giggling all the way. Once they were under the pounding hot water they lavished each other with kisses and caresses as they washed, giving in to their passion and making love once more.

This time Rukia took the lead, taking Ichigo's throbbing manhood into her mouth, massaging the underside of his shaft with her tongue, at the same time pleasuring herself with her hands. Only to stop and catch him between her breasts and quickly bring him to a second climax, his seed coating her chest and face. With a laugh Rukia told Ichigo, "It may not be soap but it sure is fun getting clean." She stood up and pulled Ichigo into a kiss.

As they stood, their tongues dancing in each other's mouths Ichigo could taste a slight hint of his essence, as Rukia could of her own. Coming up for air Ichigo took in a deep breath and faced the one fact he had been trying to avoid. "As much as I am enjoying this I still need to eat and get back to helping Dad so Yuzu can go see Jinta." With a sigh he rinsed himself off and finished washing Rukia and turned off the water. Drying each other, pausing to kiss their favorite parts Ichigo and Rukia made their way down the hall and soon appeared in the kitchen, dressed once more, trying to act as though nothing had happened over the last fortyfive minutes but neither being able to hide the post coital glow that they both radiated. As it was everyone else in the building had heard them clearly enough.

Sitting down to eat Ichigo sighed and leaned back in his chair, completely relaxed. "So what is for lunch?" Ichigo called to his father in the kitchen, "And where are Karin and Yuzu?"

"We're having Soba noodles and broth, Yuzu is upstairs changing and Karin is finishing putting away some files. Did you two work up an appetite? It certainly sounded like it, I thought old Mrs. Kimura was going to faint." Isshin was amused to see that his instincts were right. Picking up three bowls of noodles he made his way to the table and put one at his own place and one each before Ichigo and Rukia. Heading back into the kitchen Isshin was stopped in his tracks by a question from Rukia.

"Isshin, what would you think if I said that I wanted to have children, and soon?" Rukia looked at her noodles with a deep blush on her face. She was ready to start a family she thought, but was Ichigo? Or the other people around him?

"Your not pregnant are you?" Isshin was fairly sure of the answer, having written the prescription for her birth control pills himself.

"No, but it is just that I feel like I am ready to start the next part of my life, and that includes marriage and children, I guess I should tell you that Ichigo proposed last week and I said yes. I don't want to get pregnant just yet but as soon as this Aizen thing is dealt with I want to start a family." Rukia looked at Ichigo who just smiled and squeezed her hand. She knew that Ichigo would make a wonderful husband and father and she wanted everyone else to know it too.

"Well, I don't see why not, but you do know that if you give birth on this plain it will become more difficult to leave your gigai. You will have to find some way to balance a family, a job and being a soul reaper. What exactly are you going to do for a living?" This question was directed at Ichigo.

"Well I am not sure, but I was thinking that I might get certified as a Nurse practitioner and help you around here. I mean I know that I could take all the classes in two years and if I wanted to I could go for a third year later and become an MD and take over from you when your ready to hang it up." Ichigo had trouble saying it out loud but it was true. This morning had reminded him of why he had accepted his responsibilities as a soul reaper, to help people. By doing that he could help both the living and the dead. He really was his father's son after all.

Isshin finally managed to collect himself and retrieved the remaining bowls of noddles and the tray with the bowls of broth as he thought about what his son had just said. Setting his burden on the table Isshin looked at Ichigo and Rukia, who were leaning against each other, Ichigo with his arm around Rukia's shoulders. "That is a decision that the two of you have to make, but I think that you should wait until your done with high school, at least to have children. So have you bought a ring yet?"

"No, I was going to look for one tomorrow." Ichigo said, wondering where his father was heading.

"Well I might have one that you could have, it was the ring I gave to your mother." Isshin's eyes welled up slightly as he pulled a chain from underneath his shirt and unclasped it to remove a ring. Handing it to Ichigo he wiped his eyes as he added, "your mother would have wanted you to have it."

Looking at the ring Ichigo thought that there was no ring more suited for the woman he loved. Rather than single stone there were three triangular diamonds separated by three sapphire shards set in platinum. Looking into Rukia's eyes he asked the question that he had been unable to properly articulate on the train. "Rukia Kuchki would you do me the great and incomparable honor of marrying me?"

"Yes of course I will!" Rukia held out her hand and blushed a deep red as Ichigo slipped the ring onto her finger.

"Wow Ichigo, Congratulations!!" Karin chirped from the doorway.

"This so cool, I am so happy for you Rukia!" Yuzu said from the foot of the stairs, now wearing the dress and jewelry she had received for her birthday, she rushed across the room and swept Rukia up into a hug. "Now, I don't know about the rest of you but I am starving." Sitting down Yuzu took a bowl of noodles and of broth and dug in with gusto. Talking excitedly of what she was going to do with her free afternoon. Pushing her now empty bowl away Yuzu stood and after giving her father a hug she departed, off to see Jinta.

Ichigo stood and helped Karin clear off the table, after which he paused to talk to Rukia as she and Isshin made their way back into the clinic. "So what do you plan on doing this afternoon?"

"Well I was going to finish cleaning up the floor upstairs," her smile and mention of their earlier escapade reawakening the fire inside Ichigo, "and then read for a while. And I was thinking of calling Yoruichi, but nothing significant."

"What would you think of a group date, us, Yoruichi and Tatsuki, Kon and Ryo and Orihime and somebody else all going out tonight?" Ichigo had been wanting to do something for Orihime after ending her hopes of a relationship with him.

"That would be a lot of fun, but who should we get to go with Orihime?"

"How about Ishida?" Ichigo thought that they would make a good couple, with their shared interests, and they did seem to get along exceptionally well, but he suspected that although both of them had considered asking out the other neither would make the first move. Well then they would just give them a little nudge in that direction.

"Hmmmm, it is worth a try. I'll go ahead and call Yoruichi and she can tell Kon. You had better get back to work." Rukia kissed Ichigo once more and sent him on his way with pleasant thoughts running through his mind.

The next three and a half hours were unremarkable, consisting of taking vitals, pulling records and assisting his father with two minor procedures. The biggest surprise of the day came as he sat behind the front desk while Karin put away some records. He looked up as the bell on the door rang, being surprised to see Ryo walk through the door. "Hey Ryo, what's up?"

"Umm, is your father around?" Ryo looked nervously at Ichigo, not expecting to see him here.

"Yeah, he is with a patient right now, what do you need?" Ichigo looked at Ryo carefully, sensing that something about her had changed but being unable to pin it down.

Turning several different shades of red Ryo leaned down and whispered to Ichigo what she needed. "I need to get fitted for a diaphragm." Even though she was only inches from Ichigo he barely heard the words.

Stunned Ichigo collected himself quickly enough, "that shouldn't be a problem, I will just need to get a history and take your vitals, once he is done with this appointment he doesn't have anything else scheduled for today. So I guess you and Kon, uh, did it?"

Ryo could only nod in assent, following Ichigo into an exam rom he had soon recorded her height, weight, temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure. Next came the history, most answers were simple enough, she wasn't on any medication, had no allergies and no history of any serious medical conditions. She was caught somewhat short by the last hand full of questions on the form.

"Question twenty three, have you had sexual intercourse in the last twenty four hours?" Ichigo paid no particular attention to this question, having asked it over a dozen times today. He looked up as Ryo turned redder than a hothouse tomato.

"Yes, last night." Ryo managed to squeak.

"Only two more, twenty four was it unprotected sex?"

"No, we used a condom." Ryo managed to say clearly, finally beginning to overcome her embarrassment of having to tell these things to Ichigo, but she appreciated his professionalism about the whole thing.

"Well that answers number twenty five, what form of birth control are you currently using? Easy enough, I will go get my Dad and he can take care of the rest just wait here." Ichigo turned into the hall and saw the door to his father's office open and went on in, handing Isshin the forms as he told him about his next patient, "There is a, girl, here who wants to be fitted for a diaphragm, here are the forms, everything seems ok to me."

"What was with the pause?" Isshin looked a his son and waited for his answer.

"Well, actually it is a girl from my class at school. You can't tell her you know this but she is Kon's girlfriend." Ichigo said as he gave in to one of his father's rare but effective penetrating stares.

"This won't be a problem at all, but could you go get Rukia, I want another woman in the room with me, and Karin is to young." Isshin may have been carefree is his personal life but he took no chances professionally. "Ms Kunieda follow me please," Isshin led her into the main exam room and handed her a gown, "Just put this on and we can get started in just a second, you can change behind the screen." Isshin began to gather the tools he would need and had everything ready to go by the time Ichigo led Rukia into the room. "Ok, let's get started, what I have to do is measure the diameter of your cervix." Isshin saw that Ryo had made eye contact with Rukia but said nothing to her. "You might feel a little discomfort, and the speculum will be rather cold."

Ryo lay on her back, and had her breath taken away by the feeling of being penetrated by the cold metal of the tool. She felt a number of strange sensations, some uncomfortable, some strangely enough slightly arousing. After about ten minutes Isshin had finished and began to make a few notations on his chart.

"So do you have any questions?" Isshin suspected that she did.

"Um, well, will the diaphragm change my orgasms? I may have only had sex once but I have masturbated enough to what they should feel like." Ryo had been worrying about his since she decided to do this last night.

Isshin chuckled slightly and answered, "no, they will be the same. Is that all?" Isshin looked at Ryo who nodded. "Alright you can get dressed, don't worry about paying for any of this."

"No it is not a problem, I want to pay..." Ryo protested but was cutoff by Isshin.

"For a friend of Ichigo's it is not a problem at all, everything will be ready out front when you leave." Isshin made for his office, marveling again at the questions that he was asked sometimes.

Ryo pulled her clothes on and found Ichigo and Rukia talking as she made her way out, stopping to pick up what this had all been for. "Well I hope you two have a nice evening."

"Wait, Ryo how would you and Kon like to go on a group date with us, Tatsuki and a couple of other people?" Rukia asked before she had a chance to leave.

"That sounds like fun, when and where are we meeting?" Ryo thought that it would be a good lead in into more, entertaining activities.

"Oh, since I had to learn a secret of yours today I guess you should learn one of mine." Ichigo stammered and continued, "Rukia and I are engaged."

"Get out, you two are really engaged?" Ryo demanded, being amazed and a little scandalized by how quickly they were moving. But the proof was there on Rukia's hand in the form of a beautiful ring.

"We aren't going to actually get married until we're out of high school, but he actually asked me on the train last week, and I said yes. I got the ring today." Rukia said as she practically glowed with love.

"Wow, how did you afford that, it is stunning." Ryo said with genuine admiration.

She felt rather uncomfortable when she saw the look on Ichigo's face. He seemed to be trapped in a mixture pride, anguish and sadness. After a few moments he began to speak once more. "My Dad gave it to me, it was..." Ichigo paused to collect himself and wipe a few tears from his eyes before going on. "It was the ring he gave to my mother when he proposed to her."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." Ryo said with a look of embarrassment.

"It's ok, I just still get a little choked up when I think about her sometimes. Just meet us here at seven thirty." Ichigo watched Ryo make her way out, turning he resumed his earlier conversation with Rukia. "So Orihime is coming but how do we get Ishida go along with all of this? He is hardly the type to just pick up and go out with someone, especially if he doesn't know who it is."

"Try telling him were one guy short, and when he tries to beg off tell him that Orihime will be there. I bet that will get him to come, just leave unsaid that everyone else is already paired up." Rukia was confident that the mere mention of Orihime's name would change Ishida's mind.

"Well it is worth a try." Ichigo dialed his cellphone and waited for Ishida to pick up, carefully considering the words he was going to use. After five rings Ishida picked up, "Hey Ishida, it's Ichigo."

"What's up?" Ishida was suspicious, Ichigo was about the last person in the world to call him.

"Rukia put together this group date thing tonight and we are one guy short, would you like to come?" Ichigo was sure that an initial rejection was seconds away, and it was.

"That doesn't really sound like my kind of thing." Ishida waited for the other shoe to drop, there had to be a catch.

"Well if that is what you want it is up to you, I will say hi to Orihime for you." Ichigo listened to the silence on the other end of the line and broke into a smile as he pictured Ishida in his mind's eye. He was probably holding the bridge of his nose with his left hand, pushing his glasses up.

And so he was, Ishida was torn between his feelings for Orihime and his opinion of these kinds of things, finally his attraction to Orihime won out. "So what time should I be over there?"

"Seven thirty, see you then." Ichigo pocketed his phone and looked at Rukia, "You were right, almost as soon as I said Orihime would be there he agreed to come."

"So why don't you go change and I will tell Isshin that were going out." Rukia said and sent Ichigo on his way with a kiss and look that said they would have a long night no matter how late they were out.

Some thirty blocks away a another date of sorts was ending. Jinta and Yuzu had spent their afternoon together talking, playing video games and just hanging out. Finally Yuzu knew that it was time for her to head home. "Well I need to head back," Yuzu smiled and looked at Jinta as she continued, "I had a really good time today."

"So did I, would you, um.." Jinta looked as his feet as he struggled to speak the words on the tip of his tongue. "Would you mind if I walked you home?"

Now it was Yuzu's turn to be a little embarrassed. "Sure, that would be nice." Yuzu mumbled as she blushed slightly. Walking along in the fading sunlight Yuzu and Jinta continued to talk, when their hands brushed together. Not knowing why Yuzu took hold of Jinta's hand. When this happened they both stopped and quickly pulled away from each other, mumbling apologies and looking away with embarrassment. "I'm sorry!" Yuzu stuttered.

"No, its ok." Jinta turned rather red as he went on, "I would kind of like to hold your hand." Looking somewhat sheepish he turned toward Yuzu and asked, "could I hold your hand?"

"Of course." Yuzu replied with a feeling in her chest that could only be described as the fluttering of a thousand butterflies. Holding out her hand she smiled as Jinta took hold of it and led Yuzu home. As they stood in front of the clinic Yuzu leaned forward an planted a kiss on Jinta's cheek. "Well I guess I will see you tomorrow, bye Jinta."

"Yeah, goodnight Yuzu." Jinta managed to reply, lost as he was in a haze of good feelings that seemed without end. He turned and made for home, unsure of just where he was but damn glad to be there none the less.

Neither Jinta or Yuzu had noticed the black cat that had followed them from Urahara Shoten. Smiling to herself, as much as a cat could smile, Yoruichi was glad to see that not everyone was like Urahara. Really she did not know why he had thought she needed to follow them. What those two had was so cute, it had been a long time since she had seen young love. Using her small size and speed Yoruichi easily beat Jinta back and was sitting on the steps in front of the store when he rounded the corner. "So how did things go with Yuzu?"

"Fine, real good in fact." Jinta answered, still being somewhat stunned. He walked past Yoruichi and went inside, failing to notice the big grin that was splitting Yoruichi's face.

Yoruichi stood up and went to find something to wear for the evening, eventually deciding on something rather different for her, a crimson skirt, a white short sleeved blouse and a black leather jacket along with a pair of black high heeled boots. The real fun was deciding in what to wear underneath, she wanted Tatsuki to have plenty of fun when it came time to undress her. Yoruichi settled on a pair of black panties that were nearly transparent, a matching bra, a pair of silk stockings and her favorite garter belt. After dressing Yoruichi gathered up the things that she would need for the evening, slipping them into her bag, smiling to herself with the thought of how Tatsuki would respond to what she had in mind. If it went as planned it would be a night that she would never forget. Pausing to look at herself in the mirror Yoruichi approved of what she saw, except for her hair. Thinking for a moment she pulled off the band that held back her hair and set to work. When she was doe she smiled, loving the way her unbound hair spilled down over her shoulders and onto her back, framed by a pair braids tied with red ribbon. Looking at the clock she retrieved her bag and made her way to the front of the store, drawing stares from Urahara, Bykuya and Tessai. "What, a girl can't look nice when she goes out?"

"Well, it's just that I haven't, ahhh, seen you like this since we were together." Urahara admitted. "So when will you be back?"

"Late tomorrow morning, why? Your not jealous are you?" Yoruichi couldn't resist the chance to tease her best friend.

"A little, but it is more fun being your friend than being your boyfriend. Let's be honest, we damn near killed each other when we broke up. Still that was the best sex I have ever had." Urahara grinned as he remembered their last escapade, rolling around amongst the broken furniture and discarded weaponry. The most amazing part had been when they were done that they had simply lain their and laughed, each knowing that it was over and being relieved that it was. Friendship was not always compatible with love, their strength was to see that and remain friends, the very best of friends.

"It was pretty damn good. Did you ever manage to find all the pieces of the table?"

"No, we did one hell of a number to it. Well I hope you and Tatsuki have a fine evening." Urahara returned to his newspaper as Yoruichi made her way out and on to Tatsuki's.

Knocking on the door Yoruichi was slightly taken aback to see someone she had never met before on the other side. He had hair the same color as Tatsuki's but had his fathers eyes and the same sly grin. Even more surprising was that he was wearing the uniform of a Sergeant in the JGSDF. She knew that Tatsuki had an older brother, but she had never mentioned what he did before. So this must be him.

"So you must be Yoruichi, I'm Tatsuki's older brother Koji, it is nice to meet you." Koji extended his hand, curious to know more about the girl his sister had fallen for. She was stunningly beautiful.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Yoruichi replied, shaking Koji's hand. She followed him into the living room where they sat down. "So, what exactly brings you here?"

"I am on leave, I just got back from Iraq last week. I have the next few weeks off so I thought I would come see everyone. Tatsuki was telling me all about you, it seemed to be the only thing she could talk about. What were you two going to do tonight?"

"We are going out with friends, after we eat we have nothing set in stone." Yoruichi looked closely as Koji stood up and walked toward the stairs. He seemed to be favoring his left leg slightly.

"Tatsuki, Yoruichi is here." He waited at the foot of the stairs, listening for his sister's response.

"I'm on my way down right now!" Tatsuki said excitedly. She made her way around the bend in the stairs and stood on the landing, staring at Yoruichi. She needed a moment to take in her lovers beauty.

Yoruichi was similarly stunned by Tatsuki's appearance, she was wearing a tight purple top and dark gray slacks topped with a matching grey jacket. "You look great."

"So do you, I guess you have met Koji?" Tatsuki made small talk, it being the only thing she could do to keep from dragging Yoruichi into another room and having her way with her.

"Yeah, so are you ready to get going?" Yoruichi recognized the look on Tatsuki's face, and thought that it boded well for the rest of the night. Slipping her jacket back on she stood and took Tatsuki's hand. "Well Koji it was nice to meet you."

"Ditto, so I guess I will see you later then." Koji was fairly sure that later meant at breakfast but refrained from saying so, not wishing to embarrass his sister. "I hope you have a wonderful evening."

As they walked along to Ichigo's Yoruichi decided to learn more about Tatsuki's brother. "You never mentioned that your brother was a soldier, what is his story?"

"You never asked about him before. Anyway after high-school he wanted to do something with meaning and purpose as he put it. My parents weren't real happy at first but he made it clear that it was something he wanted to do, and he was not going to be dissuaded. He loves what he does and is very proud of his service. Tomorrow his girlfriend is supposed to be coming up here from Okinawa, we are going to go to lunch, do you want to come with us?"

"Sure. Was he injured in Iraq, he was limping a little when he went to call you." Yoruichi wondered what that story was.

"He was, but he hasn't talked much about it yet. Apparently an Australian soldier he was good friends with was next to him and was killed in the same fight." Tatsuki would like to know the full story as well but knew better than to try and force her brother to relive what was obviously a very painful memory. "Well, here we are. Damn we're early, I wonder if any else is here yet?"

"Let's find out." Yoruichi opened the door and followed Tatsuki inside. "Hello, Ichigo, Rukia, we're here." Yoruichi called out.

"Hey, you guys are the first people here, Rukia should be down in a minute." Ichigo was dressed and ready, wearing a pair of black slacks with a maroon shirt and black necktie.

"You look rather handsome. So who else is coming with us?" Tatsuki asked.

"Ryo and Kon, Orihime and Ishida." Ichigo replied nonchalantly.

"Since we still have plenty of time why don't you call and ask Chad to come along?" Tatsuki suggested.

"That is great and all but it would leave us a girl short." Ichigo pointed out.

"I already have the answer to that problem." Tatsuki quipped, whipping out her cell phone and dialing. "Hi, Michiru what are you up to tonight."

"Not a lot, I am just watching TV, why?"

"How would you like to go out, were doing a group date thing and were a girl short."

"Sure, I can be there, wherever that is in just a few minutes. What should I wear?" Michiru was excited, she hadn't been on a date in quite some time.

"Something fairly nice, we are going to eat and it is a fairly classy restaurant. We are meeting at Ichigo's house, do you know how to get here?"

"Yeah I know where it is, I should be there in about twenty minutes." Michiru bubbled, excited to finally be back in the game as it were.

"So what was that about being a girl short?" Tatsuki asked Ichigo with an evil grin.

"Ok, I will call Chad." Ichigo felt for his cellphone and realized it was still sitting on his desk at the moment. Seeing Ichigo's actions Tatsuki tossed him her phone. "Thanks." Waiting for Chad to pick up Ichigo absentmindedly considered what Chad would say.

"Hello?" Chad said in his usual unreadable tone.

"Chad, it's Ichigo, what's up?"

"Not much, why did you call?"

"Well a bunch of us were going out tonight and we thought you might want to come."

"Hmmm." Chad thought for a moment and decided that he might as well spend every chance he could with his friends given the uncertainties of the future. "It sounds like fun, meet at your place?"

"Yeah, be here by seven thirty, and dress nice." Ichigo wanted to make sure that Chad didn't indulge his penchant for loud Hawaiian shirts.

"So no loud shirts, I guess I can do that." Chad knew exactly what Ichigo meant and heard his friend laugh on the other end of the line. "Right so I'll see you in just a little while."

Smiling Ichigo gave Tatsuki her phone back and went to get a drink while waiting on everyone else. Looking in the fridge he finally settled on a bottle of tea. Sitting down on the couch next to Karin, Ichigo paid little attention to the TV. "So, have you had a chance to talk to Yuzu since she got back?"

"I did, and she seemed really happy. She wouldn't say exactly what happened, but whatever she did with Jinta went well." Karin told her older brother, leaving out some of what Yuzu had told her. If she wanted to tell Ichigo she could do so herself, Karin would never betray her trust.

Yoruichi gave Tatsuki a look that told her Karin was holding something back. Raising an eyebrow Tatsuki signaled to Yoruichi that she could tell her about it later. Hearing the buzzer Tatsuki went to get the door. "Ryo, Kon, Orihime come on in." Tatsuki led them into the living room which was becoming a little crowded, and promised to become more so. "So Orihime do you know who your going out with tonight?"

"No, I hope he is cute though." Orihime was already having a grand time. Whoever her date was they would find nothing to complain about. Orihime was wearing a tangerine colored dress that set off her hair and had her shoulders covered by a silver shawl that was made from some sort of shimmery material that seemed to make her appear even more lively than usual.

Seeing that Rukia had joined Ichigo and Karin on the couch Tatsuki waved her over. "So tell us who is the lucky guy to be paired up with Orihime?"

"Well, I hope you don't mind but we thought that you and Ishida would make a nice couple." Rukia looked rather nervously at Orihime hoping that she wouldn't be offended or upset. The blush and look toward her feet confirmed what both she and Ichigo had thought, she was interested in him.

"No, that is fine, I, um, have been wanting to go out with for a while now but I could never bring myself to ask him. Do you think he likes me?" Orihime's voice was full of concern, afraid that she would once more have her heart broken.

"I am pretty sure he does," Ichigo said, joining the discussion from his place on the couch. "When I mentioned your name on the phone he did a complete one eighty and agreed to come tonight after flat refusing."

"Oh!" Orihime could think of nothing else to say, being left to simply fidget as she waited for Ishida to arrive. Looking for some way to distract her mind she asked Ryo and Rukia about their clothes. Rukia was absolutely stunning In a blue and white dress with matching shoes and a silver fox fur shawl that had belonged to Ichigo's mother. Ryo was in a slinky dark blue number that showed off her curves, highlighted by simple but effective use of a gold chain, ear rings and bracelet on her left wrist. "Kon sure cleaned up nice."

"Well he did have my help." Ryo jokingly added. Orihime was right though, Kon looked rather dashing in his suit, which was a slate gray pinstriped number with a champagne colored tie. Everyone turned as the bell on the door rang, indicated that someone had come in. It was Chad, Michiru and Ishida. Chad was dressed in khaki slacks, a yellow shirt with a subtle pattern and a grey sport coat. Ishida wore a suit that Ichigo and Chad both suspected he had made himself judging from the impeccable fit, it was an ultra light grey, almost white, set off with a silver tie. Michiru had decided to go with the traditional look, wearing a beautiful sea foam green yukata and geta, the color of the yukata drawing out the color of Michiru's eyes.

"Since everyone is here you might as well tell them what this is all about." Isshin had followed Chad and the others in and looked expectantly at Ichigo.

"Well I might as well tell all of you that Rukia and I are engaged. Tonight is kind of a celebration of that, and I also wanted to do something for you guys," Ichigo indicated Chad, Ishida, Tatsuki, Orihime, Kon and Yoruichi, "for all that you have done for me." What followed was lots of hand shaking and back slapping and ring admiring.

After several minutes of this Isshin managed to gather everyone into a group and take a couple of photos that in later years would call forth a flood of memories, both happy and sad for those in the photo. Despite that there were still more happy memories to make this night. "Have a good time, and stay safe." Isshin called after everyone as the made their way out to the waiting limousine he had hired for the night.

For his part Ichigo was still a little stunned at his fathers genorosity in putting all this together. When he had heard him and Rukia discussing their plans for the night he had suggested that they turn it into a celebration of their engagement and within minutes he had secured reservations at one of the best resteraunts in Tokyo and arranged for the car, using up a few of the myriad favors he was owed. "So what do you think of Orihime and Ishida?" Ichigo whispered to Rukia.

"They certainly seem to have taken to the idea of being together rather well, just like I thought they would. Chad definitely seems to have hit it off with Michiru, too." Rukia watched them closely, once you got past the obvious physical differences they had complimentary personalities. "Tonight should be plenty of fun." Rukia told Ichigo with the look that said he would be getting little sleep.

"Promise?" Ichigo fired back with a grin that bespoke of the desire burning with in him.

"Of course." Rukia immediately answered. "It would seem we are here."

"And so we are." Ichigo waited as everyone else alighted from the car, finally stepping out and turning to assist Rukia.

"Welcome Mr. Kurosaki, Ms. Kuchki, please follow me." The maitre de said, leaving Ichigo a little stunned, being used to his father being called Mr. Kurosaki. They were led in to a magnificently finished private room that was paneled in oak and mahogany and what Ichigo believed to be hart of teak. "Your waiter should be here shortly, do need anything now?"

"Yes, Champagne, three bottles ought to do. Make it your best." Yoruichi remarked, waiting for the protests from someone that all of them but her were underage. They never came.

"Yes ma'am, that would be our 1963 Bollinger." With that the maitre de took his leave and everyone seated themselves around the table. Soon three bottles of very fine, and very expensive champagne were being enjoyed by all and sundry.

"To Ichigo and Rukia, may they have a long and happy life together!" Chad offered, raising his glass.

"Here, here!" Ishida added, "cheers!"

"So, how exactly are you going to pay for all of this?" Rukia inquired of Ichigo after having examined the menu, being somewhat taken aback by the prices of, well, everything.

"We don't need to worry about that, my dad took care of a problem for the owner and he owed him a favor." Ichigo smiled to himself, recalling the bemused look on his father's face.

"What kind of favor."

"He got sick and my dad took care of it with out making a big deal of the thing. Because of that it stayed quiet and no one else found out."

"I don't get it isn't that pretty much what your father always does?"

"This particular illness came from a woman who was emphatically not his wife, and he didn't want her to find out." Ichigo chuckled as he explained, being endlessly amused that they were getting what would likely be a three thousand plus dollar meal for what amounted to less than twenty dollars worth of antibiotics. If the man had only thought to wrap it up, discretion was expensive, but less expensive than a divorce Ichigo figured.

"Ah, I see." Rukia giggled, understanding now why everything was going to be free.

"So Kon how are things going between you and Ryo?" Ichigo inquired, waiting to see if he would clam up, try to change the subject or dance around the issue.

Kon decided to do none of those, he answered Ichigo's question straight on. "Things are going real well, we have taken things to the next level. We're really happy and I am glad that I found someone like her. If I hadn't I would likely still be moping around and feeling sorry for myself." Kon squeezed Ryo's hand and returned the smile she gave him.

Rukia watched as Orihime and Ishida talked, they were both being a little timid, neither seemingly willing to make the first move. What they needed Rukia figured was some time alone together, the trick would be giving that to them. She thought she knew of a way but it would take some help, "I need to freshen up I will be back in just a minute." With this she planted a kiss on Ichigo's cheek and headed for the restroom.

Seeing the look Rukia gave her, Ryo excused herself as well, joining Rukia standing before the row of sinks in the ladies room. "What's up?"

"We need to get Orihime and Ishida alone for a little while later or nothing will ever happen with the rest of us hanging around. I think I know how we can do it to." Rukia fixed her make up as she spoke.

"And just how do we do that? It won't be easy, it will need to seem purely accidental or they will know something is up." Ryo hoped that whatever Rukia's plan was that it would work out. Orihime deserved to have someone special in her life, she had suffered and been alone for far too long.

"What I thought we could do was to let them go out first when we leave and then give them about five minutes or so before we go out to the car ourselves. Can you tell Kon and Yoruichi? I will tell Ichigo and Chad." Rukia explained, believing that the reason her plan should work was its simplicity.

"Sure, hopefully once they are alone one of them will find enough courage to say what they are both thinking and feeling." Ryo straightened her dress and headed for the door, Rukia right behind her.

"Well there is nothing we can do about that, but I think that won't be a problem." Rukia said as they made their way out and back to the private room at the back of the restaurant. Sitting down next to Ichigo, Rukia whispered her plan into his ear. Ichigo nodded approvingly. Rukia then turned to her left and tapped Chad on the shoulder and quickly laid out her plan.

Chad thought that what Rukia had in mind was a little obvious but was worth a shot. "Alright, I will play along." Chad resumed his conversation with Michiru, learning more about her and her interests. It wasn't quite a blind date since they had met before, it was more of a visually impaired date.

The next two and a half hours passed faster than expected, the food being as rich and as exquisite as the prices suggested. Ichigo was leaning back, enjoying an espresso with his chocolate tort when the owner came in and shook Ichigo's hand, telling him not worry about a thing. Ichigo expressed his gratitude for the meal, and the fact that it was gratis. Ichigo did however ask what the damage would have been, for he needed to leave an appropriate tip for the wait staff. When he saw the bill Ichigo nearly choked on his tort, recovering in time to give one final word of thanks. It turned out that discretion was worth a hell of a lot. After putting the tip under one of the empty champagne bottles Ichigo turned to Ishida and asked, "so are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, what about everyone else?" Ishida thought something might be up, but he would play along.

"We will be right behind you." Ichigo assured him.

"Ready Orihime?" Ishida held out his hand after he stood up.

"Yeah, I am ready to go." Orihime took the proffered hand and walked with Ishida out to curb where the car was waiting. Getting inside Orihime sat fidgeting with her dress, while Ishida stared out the window. After nearly a minute of silence Orihime began to speak, "Um, I am not sure how to say this but, I, uh kind of like you a lot and I wanted to know if you would be interested in being my boyfriend?" Orihime's words came out in a rush, while at the same time she turned a deep shade of crimson.

Ishida blushed and looked for the right words to respond to Orihime's sudden confession, finally he found them. "I, ah, feel the same and would be happy, no ecstatic to be your boyfriend." Ishida admitted, feeling as though a great weight had been lifted from him. He was taken aback when Orihime leaned over and took hold of him, pulling him into a kiss. He just sat their, stunned at first, but he soon began to reciprocate, letting Orihime's tongue dart into his mouth. Ishida could still taste the strawberries from dessert on Orihime's breath. They broke apart as the door opened, quickly trying to act as though nothing had been happening.

Rukia gave a knowing look to Ichigo as she got into the car. Settling in she told the driver where they would be going next. Rukia allowed herself to become lost in thought as she watched the glittering city scape glide on by, not really seeing the hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo at night. With a sigh she turned toward her fiancee and asked him something that had been intermittently gnawing at her ever since she had heard the words escape from Urahara's mouth. "Ichigo how much are you willing to risk to be normal again?" Everyone else in the car stopped talking and looked toward the couple for whom the night was supposed to be all about, awaiting his answer. Michiru and Ryo traded looks, neither of them quite understanding what was going on. Ryo had some inkling that Ichigo and Rukia were some of the people Urahara had mentioned, but she had no earthly idea what Rukia was asking.

For his part Ichigo was in a rather precarious position, he wanted to tell Rukia the truth but he also wanted to do so privately. "Well I was hoping that we could have this discussion in private but you have put me on the spot." Taking in a deep breath Ichigo carried on, "I am willing to give up my powers, even maybe my health, but not my life. If I do that I would lose you, and that is something that I am completely unwilling to risk. It is my hope that my soul may once again be complete, but if it can not then so be it. I took the chance I did, knowing what the risks were, and I did it to save you, and nothing will ever make me regret that choice. You are the reason I am still here. If I hadn't been fated or blessed or whatever to meet you I would have very likely died along side my mother. But I didn't, and it is so I can be with you, at least that is how I see it. I love you completely and absolutely, and that I think has done more to heal me than anything else in this world or any other." Ichigo smiled wanly at Rukia, reaching out to wipe the tears from her cheek, pulling her in close. Holding her in that embrace he felt as though all was right with the world. "You Rukia Kuchki are what has made my soul complete, for before I met you it was already torn asunder, I just did no yet know."

All Rukia could managed to say was a choked, "Oh Ichigo!!" She wept openly as he held her, unashamedly she managed to whisper, "I love you with all my being, and I would do anything to make you whole again."

"But you see you already have." Ichigo whispered back. The others looked away, suddenly all too aware that they were intruding on an exceptionally private moment. After a few minutes Rukia collected herself and slowly conversation once again blossomed in the confines of the limousine. Ichigo looked around when he noticed that they had stopped, and reached to open the door but the chauffeur beat him to the punch. "Thank you."

"Just doing my job sir." The chauffeur replied as he pocketed the twenty Ichigo gave him. "Will you be needing me further?"

"Yes, be back in about, oh, say four hours." Ichigo said as he looked at his watch.

"Very well sir."

"So this is the place, looks promising." Ishida remarked as he took in the establishment before them. "It has been a while since I did karaoke."

"Wait, you've done this before?" Ichigo inquired, being somewhat incredulous, it seemed to him to be the last thing in the world that Ishida would do.

"You know just because we fight together doesn't mean you know everything about me." Ishida said with a laugh. "Come on Orihime lets see what this place is like on the inside."

Orihime took Ishida's hand with a smile as the others followed behind them. Once inside the hostess led them to a large room where the settled in on the eclectic mix of comfortable furniture along the walls. "I want to go first!" Orihime called out as she thumbed through the list of songs, settling on an upbeat pop number. Orihime let lose with all her might and was soon being light heartedly razzed by everyone else, and she did the same to them as they took their turns. None of them could sing very well, except it turned out Michiru, she had the voice of an angel and knew how to use it. Rather than insults and barbs everyone else fell silent as she sang a slow, melancholy song about a woman who waited for a man to come back form a war even though she knew he was gone forever.

"Wow! I had no idea you could sing like that Michiru." Tatsuki offered from her place in Yoruichi's lap.

"Well, I have been singing since I was little for church and stuff, I am not that good. My mother is much better than I am." Michiru offered, having always been a bit shy when in the spotlight, which is why she had remained as part of the choir rather than becoming a soloist as had been offered to her on several occasions.

The night wound down as the clock neared one thirty, everyone being ready to head for home, but before that Ryo had some questions she wanted answered. She walked over to Tatsuki who was still camped in Yoruichi's lap. "What did Rukia mean when she asked Ichigo about being normal again?"

Tatsuki looked at Yoruichi who nodded slightly, Tatsuki began, "Kon probably told you about wholes, hollows and all of that right?"

"He did, but what does that have to do with what she asked, how is he not normal?" Ryo pressed Tatsuki, failing to see what she meant.

"Ichigo and Rukia are both soul reapers, a while back Rukia was caught up in some trouble in the soul society and was going to be executed. Ichigo had taken her powers before that, but he lost them when two other soul reapers came to arrest Rukia. He got his powers back and went to the soul society to save her. But in the process something went awry and he is, well it is up to him to tell you what he is if he wants to. I have his confidence and I won't break it."

Ryo thought about what Tatsuki had told her and decided that the only thing to do was to ask Ichigo himself. Making her way to the massive couch where Rukia and Ichigo where talking with Michiru and Chad she sat down and waited for a chance to ask what was on her mind.

"What is with that look Ryo?" Ichigo asked, curious as to why she was here rather than with Kon. "Where's Kon?"

"He went to the bathroom. I hope you aren't offended by my asking this, and if you don't want to answer then don't. What was Rukia talking about in the car when she asked what you would be willing to risk to become normal?"

Sighing Ichigo spoke, directing his words at Ryo and Michiru. " I was expecting this. I am not normal. Neither as person or as a soul reaper." With these words Chad saw the look of confusion coloring Michiru's face and paused to explain what Ichigo was talking about, she was disbelieving at first but she quickly came to accept what was said when Chad transformed his arm. Carrying on Ichigo continued, "I regained my soul reaper powers by cutting my chain of fate and entering the shattered shaft, where I would either find my powers or become a hollow. In the end I became half of each, half soul reaper and half hollow, everyday I struggle to keep the hollow subjugated. If I should fail the consequences would be terrible." Ichigo left it at that, feeling that there was no more he could say.

"I am sorry I asked, I shouldn't have!" Ryo stuttered apologetically.

"It is ok, I have made peace with what I am, and by telling my friends it is easier for me to accept and as a result to control and dominate him."

"Wow, your amazing Ichigo, I don't think I could live with that. I would be afraid of what would happen if I lost control." Michiru mumbled in an awed tone.

"You could, because you care about people and strength comes from wanting to protect them. It is that desire that gives me the strength to overcome my hollow self." Ichigo leaned back and decided that he was ready to leave, because he had something he wanted to do and it could not be done here. "So are you guys ready to go?" Ichigo asked the room.

"Yeah, we are." Kon answered for himself and Ryo. Words of ascent came from the rest of the room. They made their way to the front where Ichigo settled up the bill and joined everyone else outside.

"So home for everyone I guess." Ichigo said to no one in particular.

"Not for us, we have some additional plans for tonight, we will be getting a cab." Yoruichi told Ichigo and drawing an inquiring look from Tatsuki. "You get to find out when we get there love." Yoruichi gave a wave to Ichigo as he got into the car and shut the door. "So tonight you will get to experience something that will stay with you forever." Yoruichi planted a quick kiss on Tatsuki and hailed a cab. Getting inside she told the driver, "The Tokyo Hilton please."

"Yes ma'am, we should be there in about ten minutes." The cabby told her.

Once at the hotel Tatsuki stepped out and waited for Yoruichi who gave a fifty to the driver with the words, "Keep the change." Taking Tatsuki by the hand she led her into the lobby where the concierge awaited them.

"Miss Shihouin your room is ready just as you requested, please if you would follow me."

They entered an elevator and said nothing to each other as they rose into the skyline, simply holding hands and smiling at each other. Finally they emerged on the thirty second floor. Following behind the concierge they stopped as he unlocked the door to their room.

"Here you are, if you need anything do to hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, this is for your trouble." Yoruichi said as she took the room key while at the same time slipping him a respectable tip. "So what do you think?"

"Um, wow, what is this all about?" Tatsuki asked as she turned to face her girlfriend.

"Well I wanted to do something special for you, and this seemed to be the right place." Leading Tatsuki over to the couch in the Yoruichi sat down and turned to face the woman she loved. "I wanted to thank you for bringing happiness and love back into my life, and that I owe you a debt for helping me find that joy only you seem to be able to bring about." At this point Yoruichi felt that words were no longer needed and began to kiss Tatsuki, starting with her mouth, sliding down on to her neck, sliding her hands underneath her shirt to find that Tatsuki had dispensed with a bra. Pinching Tatsuki's right nipple Yoruichi purred into her lovers mouth, knowing that soon she would be ready for what she had in mind. "Why don't we adjourn to the bedroom?"

"Sure, lead on my love." Tatsuki answered, allowing herself to be dragged along by the hand. She then set about undressing Yoruichi, starting at the top and working her way down. Seeing the sexy underwear Yoruichi was wearing sent a wave of heat into Tatsuki's loins. One had already struck Yoruichi judging form the hot nectar running down her thighs. "Someone is excited." Tatsuki giggled.

"Well I have something for that." Yoruichi fired back with a slightly evil grin. She quickly stripped Tatsuki down and shed her own remaining garments. She then reached into the bag that she had brought with her and pulled out a device that cause Tatsuki's eyes to go wide.

"Is that what I think it is?" Tatsuki asked with a mixture of apprehension and excitement in her voice.

"It is, and it should be a lot of fun don't you think?" Yoruichi chuckled as she slowly rubbed one end of the double ended toy across her dripping sex. With a sharp intake of breath she inserted it into her center and made fast the straps. "Now we can begin." Yoruichi climbed onto the bed, on all fours above Tatsuki she kissed her. She used her right hand to slowly rub the outside of Tatsuki's sex, feeling her warm juices coat her hand. "Are you ready?"

Tatsuki merely nodded, Yoruichi guided the dildo to Tatsuki's opening and slowly thrust her hips forward. Slowly she drove the toy deeper and deeper inside, looking into her lovers beautiful brown eyes the entire time. Tatsuki was unable to do more than moan with pleasure, reveling at the feelings emanating from her womanhood. Slowly Yoruichi quickened her pace, she took hold of Tatsuki's shoulders and rolled over. Suddenly Tatsuki found that she was in control, setting the pace of their thrusting, toying with her right breast and rubbing her clit with her left she felt her chest tighten and with a cry she came, a flood of nectar flowing onto Yoruichi and the sheets of the bed. Her contractions pulled the dildo deeper inside and sent even more waves of pleasure that was her orgasm washing over her. Tatsuki fell forward onto Yoruichi's chest with a sigh. "I, think that was pretty good, but you didn't cum. If you don't then I won't be able to sleep." Reaching down Tatsuki unbuckled the straps and reversed them. Pulling out of Yoruichi, Tatsuki flipped Yoruichi over who took the hint and once again positioned herself on all fours. With a new found aggressiveness Tatsuki set a rapid pace. She was entranced by the rhythmic giggling of Yoruichi's breasts. She pulled herself back to her self appointed task, and slipped her hand onto Yoruichi's shaved sex and sought out and found her clit. Circling it she felt Yoruichi begin to tense and with a single stroke across her nub was all that she needed.

With a scream of delight Yoruichi came, "**TATSUKI, YESSS GOD YESSS!!!!!**" She lost herself in the ecstasy of her climax, unaware that she had been reduced to merely whimpering and purring as Tatsuki continued to thrust in and out, stroking her clit over and over again. Yoruichi finally collapsed onto the bed, the dildo pulling out of her with and audible slurping sound. "How long did that last?" Yoruichi questioned her lover in a rather shaky voice.

"I made you cum for a good three minutes, did you enjoy it?" Tatsuki asked with a slight laugh.

"That long, I didn't think it was possible." Yoruichi recovered enough to lean up and pull Tatsuki down onto the bed with her, they spent the next several minutes simply making out. Yoruichi then positioned herself so she could access Tatsuki's sex, and she could have equal access to hers. This time their lovemaking was slow and tender, each licking and sucking. Yoruichi drove her tongue into Tatsuki and allowed her mouth to fill with Tatsuki's nectar. Swallowing the warm, sweet juices she felt the warmth glide down her throat and spread through her body. Tatsuki was focused more on Yoruichi's lips, which were freshly shaved, allowing her to toy and tug at them, she ran her tongue between the outer and inner lips and was rewarded with a shudder from above her. Tatsuki quickened her pace as she neared her peak, which caused Yoruichi to do the same, soon both slowed down, wishing to draw out the pleasure. They continued to eat at each other until after nearly an hour of licking and sucking they both found release within seconds of each other. When they had caught their breath Yoruichi pulled Tatsuki close and kissed her, drinking in the sweet taste of her own sex, now mingling with Tatsuki's. "Goodnight my love." Yoruichi whispered into Tatsuki's ear.

"And goodnight to you, my better half." Tatsuki replied sleepily

Ichigo looked across the limousine toward Rukia, they were now alone, having just seen off Ryo and Kon, who likely would soon be doing what Ichigo hoped to do to Rukia. "So how were you planning on making this night one that would be full of fun?" Ichigo asked with a grin.

"Oh, I have a few things in mind." Rukia responded playfully, knowing that she would soon have Ichigo begging for more. "Well we're here so why don't we get to working on that fun, huh?"

"Sure, I'll be there in just a second." Ichigo hurriedly paid for the limousine and gave the driver another tip and bolted for the door. As soon as he was inside Rukia dragged him up the stairs and into their room. She threw him onto the bed and began to pull his clothes off. Ichigo was stunned, Rukia usually let him take the lead, and when she took control it was much more gentle and sensual. Rukia stripped down to her panties and straddled Ichigo, looking admiringly at his erect manhood. She then began to rub herself through the light cotton cloth, causing a large and spreading patch of dampness. Pulling on her panties Ichigo saw the outline of Rukia's delicate folds. She then began to rub her center across Ichigo's swollen shaft, slowly gliding back and forth. Sure enough when she stopped Ichigo begged her to continue. "Please don't stop, keep going."

"Ok, I will, but first tell me that you love me." Rukia ordered.

"I love you." Ichigo complied instantly, needing the pleasure to resume. Rukia once more began to slowly shift her hips, looking down to see that fluid was already running down his erection. Speeding up she began to toy with the rest of Ichigo's manhood and she felt them pull into his body as he came with a grunt, his seed pumping out, soaking into Rukia's panties.

"Now I can get rid of these." Rukia noted, holding up her sodden and dripping undergarment. Throwing them aside she looked into Ichigo's eyes and said, "there is something else I want to try, I need you to go along with this ok?"

"Sure, what did you have in mind?" Ichigo was willing to try just about anything at the moment.

"I want to try joining our souls as we make love." Rukia told Ichigo.

"And how would we do that?" Ichigo was intrigued, wondering what exactly this would entail.

"We will use a special kind of gikongai to partially force our souls out, them we will join hands in spiritual form and repeat the following incantation, 'you that I love, my one and only love, with all my being I join with you as one in heart, in mind, in body, and soul, let us be united as one.' and then we should be joined and achieve a level of ecstasy that is not possible any other way." Rukia looked at Ichigo and waited for his answer.

"Of course I will do that, I would do anything for you." Ichigo told her and with a kiss he positioned himself at Rukia's opening and slowly penetrated her. He settled into a gentle pace, each thrust brining with it a wave of pleasure. Rukia rode Ichigo and threw her head back, waiting for the moment, sensing that it would be soon. She felt the first slight clenching of her sex and slipped the blue pill into her mouth and bit it in half, she then put the other half into Ichigo's mouth. Swallowing Ichigo felt a strange feeling, he saw his body yet he was still aware of the feelings of his and Rukia's love making. With a nod from Rukia they joined hands and began to speak together. "You that I love, my one and only love, with all my being I join with you as one in heart, in mind, in body, and soul, let us be united as one." With a flash of light Ichigo suddenly felt new and amazing sensations coursing through him, as did Rukia.

She had not known exactly what would happen but it was greater and more wonderful than any story she had ever been told. Rukia now understood what happened when their souls joined, they could feel each others sensations and pleasures, even their thoughts. Suddenly Rukia grabbed the headboard and arched her back as she climaxed, at the same moment Ichigo achieved orgasm well. They both called out the others name, and felt more pleasure than could ever be achieved on the purely mortal plane. As she came down Rukia was aware that their peak had caused their souls to separate and return fully to their bodies. "That was, that was, I don't know what that was but it was better than I had thought possible."

Finding his voice once more Ichigo asked, "where did you get the idea for that?"

"From your father, well at least the special gikongai we needed. I had heard of this from other people who had tried it but they said that while it was good they didn't know what the hype was all about. Your father told me that the secret is the true love between two people that makes it special and gratifying as that. Apparently he did this with your mother a couple of times." Rukia lay beside Ichigo who listened while he toyed with his lover's nipples.

"Just a couple of times?" Ichigo thought that it would be worth doing every night if possible.

"Well the more you do it the weaker the effect, if I had to guess I would say that they likely did it when you and the twins were conceived." Rukia had no definitive proof but to her it all seemed to add up.

"Your not trying to conceive tonight are you?" Ichigo asked nervously.

"No, I am still taking precautions." Rukia shifted slightly and wrapped her arms around Ichigo and yawned. "Why don't we get some sleep?"

"Sounds good to me." Ichigo affirmed groggily, "sleep well Rukia Kuchki, my one and only love."

"And you to Ichigo Kurosaki, I love you too." Rukia drifted peacefully into sleep, comforted by her lover and fiancee's slow and steady breathing.


	12. A Change of Plans

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 12

Rukia looked down upon the sleeping man in her arms, her true love, her soon to be husband. Slowly stroking his hair she smiled to herself, no matter how much she thought about it she could still not completely believe that it was possible to experience and share a love as deep and as true as theirs. Leaning against the headboard Rukia felt Ichigo began to stir, for once she had awoken before he did. "Hello there, did you sleep well?"

"That I did, and I was helped by your little bit of fun last night." Ichigo added with a smile. Seemingly still feeling the rapture of Rukia's orgasm, but knowing that the memory was but the pales oft imitations. "So how about we get some breakfast?"

"Ok, but first," Rukia took hold of Ichigo and drew their mouths together, slowly sending her tongue into Ichigo's mouth, who allowed Rukia to do what she would. "Now that I have properly said good morning let's eat." Rukia waited as Ichigo disentangled himself from her and he turned to pull Rukia up. After pulling on a robe to cover herself, for the negligee she was wearing left very little to the imagination, they made their way downstairs.

"Well it looks like dad and the twins have already eaten, so what do you want?" Ichigo asked as he stood before the open refrigerator.

"Bacon and eggs sounds good, and toast too." Rukia was feeling rather ravenous after the previous nights activities. "I think I can manage the toast." Rukia offered. Putting the bread into the toaster Rukia was surprised as Isshin came into the kitchen.

"So did everyone have a good time last night?" Isshin asked as he refilled his coffee.

"Yeah, everyone seemed to go home happy. What is on your plate today dad?" Ichigo asked as he set about cracking and scrambling the eggs.

"Just the usual, are you two going anywhere today?"

"I had something in mind." Ichigo answered guardedly, not wanting to tell his father what he planned to do.

Rukia looked at Ichigo with a curious look, trying to comprehend why he was being so vague. She didn't know what Ichigo had in mind, but she would go along regardless. Looking to Isshin she saw that he was wasn't going to push Ichigo for a more definitive answer.

"Well I have to get back to work." With that Isshin turned and made his way back to the clinic.

"So just where were you thinking about going today anyway?" Rukia inquired.

Ichigo continued to cook as he answered without looking at Rukia, " since things kind of went haywire the last time I was there, and you were staying in the background I was thinking that we could go and see mom."

"Oh!" was all that Rukia could manage to say. She was touched that he felt strongly enough to take her to his mother's grave. They ate in silence, not needing a word to express how they felt about each other. Once Rukia had finished eating she finally mustered what seemed to be the right words to respond to what Ichigo had told her. "I am touched that you want to take me to see your mother." Rukia said quietly, still being slightly taken aback by what Ichigo wanted to do. Once they had put away their dishes they returned to their room where Rukia waited for Ichigo to finish his shower. She sat on the bed with her legs pulled up to her chest, her chin resting on her knees. She was unsure of what she should do or say to Ichigo, he knew as well as she did what had happened to his mother's soul when she died. Sighing Rukia wondered if Misaki's soul had yet found peace, she fervently hoped so. Putting such thoughts out of her mind she closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift into a state of near sleep. She jumped when Ichigo gently shook her shoulder.

"I'm done with the shower. Are you ok? It seems like something is bothering you?" Ichigo waited for Rukia to answer him, looking at her with a gentle smile.

"I, I was thinking about wether or not Misaki ever found peace."

Ichigo sat down next to Rukia and put his arms around her, "I don't know. But I do know that it does no one any good to dwell on something that can't be changed. It is my hope that as a hollow she was destroyed quickly and passed on to the soul society. I also know that even if that is not the case that at some point she will find peace and that it does us no good to be sick with worry over wether that has yet happened or not." Ichigo planted a tender kiss on Rukia's forehead and continued, "besides I still have the memory of what time we did have together, and for me that is enough."

Rukia smiled at Ichigo and stood to go and get ready. Within a few minutes Rukia returned and soon was dressed in a light blue dress. "Ready?" Rukia asked Ichigo.

"Yeah, but I want to stop and get some flowers along the way." Ichigo walked along the quiet streets with Rukia, taking the opportunity to tell Rukia about the people and places they passed along the way. She was intrigued by it all, learning many of things that lifelong residents of Karakura took for granted, gaining a new insight into the mind of her love with each story and anecdote. Finally they found themselves at the base of the hill leading to the cemetery. Looking up the path Ichigo took Rukia's hand and said, "well I guess it is time that you meet my mother." Moving through the shaded pathway they emerged into the warm early spring sunlight. Ichigo led Rukia along until they stood silently before Misaki's grave. Running a hand through his hair Ichigo placed the flowers at the base of her headstone and began to speak, "well I'm sorry that things didn't, ahhh, go so well the last time I was here. I have been doing really well, and I want you to know that I have found someone who is very special to me. Her name is Rukia and we are engaged, she is here with me. I guess I just want you to know that I, and everyone else is doing well. Where ever you may be I hope you have found peace.." Ichigo stopped, suddenly to choked up to continue speaking. After a moment he wiped the tears from his eyes and went on, "I suppose I should give Rukia a chance to say something." Ichigo turned to Rukia with a sheepish look.

"Uhh, well hello," Rukia felt a little silly talking to an inanimate object, but she understood why Ichigo and other people spoke to such things, it was a way to express how they felt even though the people to whom they spoke weren't there to hear them. "I don't have all that much to say except that I have never been as happy as I am right now. I will do my best to keep Ichigo out of trouble, but I make no promises." Rukia looked toward Ichigo with a grin, he smiled at her an slowly shook his head.

Ichigo took hold of Rukia's hand, " well I guess that is it, I will come see you again soon." Turning Ichigo and Rukia strolled along to the path that carried them from the quiet and restful repose of the cemetery back into the bustling world in which they resided. "So what should we do now?"

"I'm not sure, I do know that I want to keep enjoying the weather." Rukia said as she gestured at the crystal clear sky, basking in the warmth of the sun and the slight breeze. "How about we just take a nice relaxing walk through the park?"

"That would be wonderful," Ichigo answered. They slowly made for Karakura park, Ichigo resuming his role as tour guide / historian for Rukia. When they were nearing their destination Ichigo was surprised to see a familiar face that belonged to a friend. "Hey Koji!!" Ichigo called as he waved toward the older man.

"Hey, long time no see." Koji called back as he waited to dart across the street. He took Ichigo's proffered hand and soon the handshake turned into one of the massive bear hugs Koji had been giving Ichigo since he was five. "So who is the girl, last time I saw you, you weren't exactly a ladies man."

"You never can make things like this easy for me can you. Koji this is my fiancee, Rukia Kuchki. Rukia this is Tatsuki's older brother Corporal Koji Arisawa."

"Actually it is Sergeant now." Koji corrected his friend.

"It is very nice to meet you. I didn't know that Tatsuki had an older brother." Rukia took in the man before her, he was nearly six feet tall, muscular with a sly grin and laughing eyes, one of which was grey and the other green. "If you don't mind me asking who are the flowers for?"

"Not at all, these," he said holding some roses, "are for my girlfriend, and these," indicating a bouquet of day lilies and carnations, "are for Tatsuki." Turning toward Ichigo he continued, "engaged, wow. You are going to have to tell me all about the two of you."

"If you want to hear the whole story it will take quite a while. And you had better be prepared to leave your disbelief at the door." Ichigo remarked with a chuckle.

"Ok, now I am intrigued." Checking his watch Koji saw that he had plenty of time and he wanted to hear this story. "I have plenty of time, so where were you headed?"

"To the park, I guess I can explain it all once we are there." Ichigo was not sure how Koji would react to his story. Still it was fun to see peoples reaction to the whole soul reaper thing. Either they stared in disbelief or looked at you like you had well and truly lost it. Sitting down in the grass next to the river in the southern corner of the park Ichigo began to spin his tale of wholes, hollows and everything else. After nearly twenty minutes Ichigo had at last come to the present. "And that is the story, so do you believe any of this?"

"It is a bit much, but I have seen things that no one could explain, and if you say it I will believe it." Standing Koji stretched his legs and bounced on the front of his feet.

"Well why don't you tell Rukia about yourself, and what you have been doing of late." Ichigo gently goaded Koji.

"I think that is fair, well for starters I am a Sergeant in the GSDF, I just got back from Iraq about ten days ago. I enjoy what I do, for all the risks and hardships it is the most rewarding feeling to see that you really have made someone's life better. My parents weren't real pleased when I told them that I had joined up, but they eventually came to understand my reasons for making the choice I did. The rest of my life is not all that remarkable, I grew up around here, I went to the same school that you are going to. My grades were good, excellent in fact, but I didn't have the patience for college. Still they hope that I will come to my senses as mom put it, but that isn't going to happen." Koji shook his head, for all that his parents loved him they still didn't quite understand how he felt about what he did and why he did it.

"You seem kind of restless, is everything alright?" Rukia asked with a slight sound of concern in her voice.

"I'm fine, it is just that my left leg gets a little stiff sometimes. The human body doesn't react well to having things sent through it at high speeds." Koji rubbed at the scar that was hidden beneath his pants. "I am lucky though, some guys I know didn't make it back."

"So I guess that would explain the tattoo." Ichigo said, having noticed the design on Koji's right arm earlier, it consisted of crossed Japanese and Australian flags with the words 'L.CPL.. William Kenyon 1983-2005, Tafji Iraq 27 August 2005'. "Who was William Kenyon?"

"He was an Australian soldier that I became good friends with. He was killed when we were ambushed. I was wounded on the same day, If I had taken the position on the left rather than the right he would be alive and I wouldn't. That is how combat is, sometimes it is just dumb luck." Koji felt rather conflicted, it was the first time he had talked about this since it had happened. He felt unburdened while at the same time he felt once more the slight feeling of guilt that it wasn't he who had died, Willy as he had been called left a wife and two young children behind. He knew that it was pointless to feel that way but it was a thought that he couldn't quite shake. "He was a great man and a one of the finest soldiers I have ever known. I think about it a lot, war has changed me, maybe in some ways for the better and in other ways for the worse, it changes everyone. But I shouldn't be burdening you two with all of this."

"It isn't a burden at all, you have always been there for me and the least I can do is offer you the same thing." Ichigo could tell how Koji had changed, he seemed more introspective and a little more reserved, before he had been a total extrovert.

"Thanks, damn I had better get going. Well congratulations, I'll see you around." Koji called as he hurried toward the station, knowing that he was going to be cutting the timing rather close.

"So that is Tatsuki's brother, he seems like a really nice guy. I wonder what he meant by being changed though?" Rukia commented as the stood to walk along the river bank.

"You wouldn't notice but he is quieter than before, he was a complete extrovert. Now he seems to be a lot more reserved. It is never easy to lose someone you care about, and he is working through that. I can only imagine the kind of things he must have seen and experienced, it would change anyone. Look at the two of us, before we went through what we did in the soul society we were different too." Ichigo thought that in certain ways he and Koji were rather alike.

"True. Well enough of this, lets go home and have some fun." Rukia pulled Ichigo along behind her, ready to forget all of the deep and serious thoughts and discussions of this morning and have some fun. Flying through the door Rukia led Ichigo into to their room and rather than throwing him on the bed as he had expected she grabbed a small bag and began to search for something in her dresser.

"Just what are you looking for?" Ichigo had been expecting 'fun' that took place in their bed and was slightly disappointed.

"My swimsuit, I want to go swimming. Oh don't act so put out, you will get a chance to do whatever you want to me later." Rukia told him with laugher in her eyes, for all that he teased her about being sex crazed he could be the same way at times as well.

"Ok, but this seems a little sudden."

"It is, but who cares, lets just go and have some fun." Rukia finished gathering her things and paused in the doorway, "I will tell Isshin where were off to, meet me out front."

Ichigo shook his head, he laughed to himself. Despite the face she presented to him and the world in some ways she ways just a regular girl. Ichigo grabbed his swimsuit and a towel and threw them into a gym bag along with some sunscreen and headed downstairs but he stopped short as he passed by Karin and Yuzu's room. He heard a voice that took a moment for him to place. It was Jinta's, Ichigo leaned in closer to the door to hear what was being said.

"Are you sure about this?" Jinta asked nervously.

"Uh huh, just go ahead." Yuzu replied, waiting patiently for the kiss.

Summoning up the courage Jinta leaned forward and quickly kissed Yuzu. He could taste a slight hint of cherry from Yuzu's lip balm, that combined with the warmth and moistness of her lips made his head swim. "Wow! That was great!" Jinta blushed slightly, finding hard to believe that something so simple could be so thrilling.

Ichigo shook his head and continued on downstairs. He emerged onto to the sidewalk and found Rukia looking at her cellphone with a look of complete disdain. "What's wrong?"

"Guess."

"A hollow?"

"What else. Lucky for us it is on the way, so lets get going." Rukia produced some gikongai and swallowed a piece and waited as Ichigo did the same. "Go on to the swimming pool and wait for us there." Rukia commanded the souls inhabiting their bodies. Rukia followed Ichigo as he began to run toward the wretched spiritual pressure that he sensed.

To Ichigo it was as if he was being drawn toward some vile and evil scent. The feeling of foreboding that appeared in the back of his mind when rushing into battle before was absent now, replaced with a feeling of calm. He was secure in the knowledge that it was he and Zangetsu that were in control, and nothing could change that. "Which way now?!" Ichigo yelled to Rukia who was hot on his heels.

"Take a left at the next intersection and then it should be a few blocks straight ahead." Rukia had given up on taking the lead in these situations since Ichigo always managed to outrun her. It was easier to simply to shout directions to him than to slow him down. As they rounded the corner they could see the hollow, it appeared to be chasing the soul of a middle aged woman. The hollow was going to take quite a bit of defeating, it stood nearly twelve feet tall and was destroying everything in its path. If they didn't act quickly people would be seriously hurt or killed. "**Lets go!!**"

"**Right!!**" Ichigo drew Zangetsu and ran toward the hollow from its right but he was forced to abort his attack when the hollow saw him and threw a car in his direction. Ichigo jumped and pushed off the side of a building and landed in the street. He took a second to get a better look at the vile creature that they faced. It had a body that was reminiscent of some prehistoric creature, with massive, powerful legs and long, lanky arms. What sent a chill down Ichigo's spine was the mask that obscured the hollows visage, it appeared to be splattered in blood, some old and dark, other parts red and fresh. Suddenly the air was pierced by a terrifying wale to all that could hear it. Ichigo snapped his head to the left to see Rukia looking back at him, waiting for him to speak. "Let's try and draw him away from here if we can, what do you think?"

"We can't do that, he will just cut a wider swath of destruction if we do that. He has to be defeated right here, let's try to immobilize it before we kill it." Rukia shouted back to Ichigo over the din of destruction all around them.

"OK, but first, **BAN KAI!**" With a snapping sound Ichigo was now ready to attack once more. "I will take out his legs, once I do come in from above and finish him off."

Rukia nodded her understanding and quickly moved into position. She watched as Ichigo charged forward and with a single Shun Po came around behind the hollow and severed its right leg. The beast rent the air with bone chilling cry of pain and anger. Rukia unconsciously tightened her grip on her blade and swallowed hard. She didn't know what was causing it but she felt great unease about battling this particular hollow. Rukia left these thoughts behind as she sprang into action after witnessing Ichigo relieved the hollow of its remaining leg. Rukia brought up her sleeve of white snow and allowed her weight to drive the zanpakuto forward as the hollow met the fate that it had for so long avoided. Feeling her blade complete the cut Rukia drove herself into a flip and landed deftly alongside Ichigo. They both received a rather rude surprise at what came next. Rather than dissipating as normal the hollow's body and head simply lay were they had fallen when suddenly three more soul reapers appeared. It was Soi Fon and two soul reapers Rukia didn't recognize. "What brings you here Soi Fon?"

"This hollow, it has proven to be rather troublesome. Hence the reason we froze it after you killed it, we need to take it back for study. Where is the soul that it was chasing after?" Soi Fon asked Rukia.

"Ichigo went to take care of her." Rukia watched Soi Fon's face closely, it registered a look of recognition and curiosity.

"The ryoka, he is certainly a strange one, the told me that he was here but I didn't expect you to be working with him." Soi Fon was floored by what Rukia said next.

"We are not just working together, we live together. In fact he is my fiancee." Her words hung in the air as Soi Fon mouthed words that just wouldn't come out.

"But! But he is a human!" Soi Fon insisted.

"So, we love each other, and that is what matters." Rukia smiled as she tried to spell it out for Soi Fon.

"You can't stay here forever, what will you do when your called back to the soul society for a new assignment.?"

"I have already resigned from the court guards and requested permanent reassignment here. Being with him is what makes me happy, and I like being happy." Rukia turned as she sensed Ichigo's approach, Rukia then decided to give Soi Fon and her subordinates a little show. She grabbed Ichigo and planted a deep and passionate kiss on him that he returned with a like amount of passion, his tongue caught in an erotic dance with Rukia's.

"That was nice, who the hell are they?" Ichigo asked Rukia, having seen the female soul reaper before but not recognizing the other two at any level. He was bit wary of soul reapers who were unknown to him given his past experiences.

"This is Soi Fon, head of the second company, and well I don't know who her people are." Rukia answered, being somewhat embarrassed by her lack of knowledge in this case.

Soi Fon stared at Ichigo for nearly a minute before she spoke, when he had seen her his spiritual pressure had jumped up, as if he was expecting combat. She had never been around anyone who radiated power like Ichigo did, it was as if she was being slapped in he face, his presence was strong enough drown out the spirit pressure of less powerful people around him. Soi Fon finally gathered her wits and began to speak, "these are two of my people from the special remote squad, second seat Junichiro Yamashida and fifth seat Toshiro Ibaku." She indicated to each of them in turn.

Ichigo nodded in acknowledgment, "if that is all we need to be going." He wanted to leave the odious task that was being preformed here to the people to whom the job had been assigned.

"I guess so. Oh, Ichigo did you know that you are listed as being in this area as an unassigned captain?" Soi Fon remarked nonchalantly.

"I didn't, but I don't particularly care, my strength has more important tasks than being used in some silly way of comparing my power to that of other people." Ichigo really didn't give a damn.

Soi Fon was somewhat taken aback, the tone of Ichigo's voice had a hard edge that caused the cryptic words from Byakuya to echo in her mind, 'If he ever learns to master his power he will be able to defeat any hollow or any soul reaper singlehandedly, don't take him lightly.' What the hell had he meant, she found out sooner than he expected.

"Oh hell." Ichigo muttered as he felt a disgusting spiritual pressure approach with a disturbing rapidity. "Well you need to put whatever it is your doing with that corpse on hold, we have a more pressing concern coming this way." He could tell that it was no normal hollow that was approaching but rather another arrancar. "It will be here in a second."

Soi Fon moved to take her place to the right of Rukia and waited. She quickly drew in a breath at the new opponent that had appeared. It was nearly human in form, but the stench of hollow was wafting toward her. She saw the zanpakuto on the beasts hip and stood at the ready. She watched as Ichigo ran toward the arrancar, he was a black blur. She saw the flash of his blade but it was stopped by the arrancar's. They broke apart and circled around each other until Ichigo launched another attack. This time he managed to open a telling cut on the arrancar's left side. As he prepared to strike again the arrancar broke away and made straight for Rukia.

Rukia saw him coming and managed to use her blade to block part of the blow. The arrancar's blade was driven with enough force to pivot around Rukia's an opened a gash on her chest that caused her to fall backwards. Soi Fon Jumped in and drove the arrancar back, she felt a terrible wave of pressure building behind her. She grabbed Rukia and pulled her clear as Ichigo let loose a strike that not only destroyed the arrancar but most of the building behind it as well.

"**DAMN YOU!!!! KUROI GETSUGA!!!!!**" A massive wave of dark spiritual energyshot forth from Zangetsu and ripped the arrancar from limb to limb. Ichigo immediately appeared at Rukia's side , kneeling down and gently taking her unconscious form into his arms as he prepared to take her to Urahara. "Its going to be ok, I will take you to Urahara." Ichigo whispered desperately to her as he turned to leave.

Soi Fon grabbed Ichigo by the shoulder and spun him toward herself, "where do you think you are going, let me help her." She was repulsed by the mask on Ichigo's face but she could see the streaks of tears running down from his eyes, reminding her that their was a real person behind the grim visage of bone.

"I, I am going to take her to Urahara." Ichigo fired back defensively. He managed to collect himself enough to realize that Soi Fon could help Rukia. "Do what you can but she needs more help than you can give her."

"Will see about that." Soi Fon began to preform Bakudo on Rukia's wound, while the severity of the bleeding was noticeably reduced, but the wound refused to heal despite the use of every healing spell Soi Fon knew. "Damn, ok lets go to Urahara, I will follow you."

"Fine." Ichigo sped off, moving as quickly as he could while trying to maintain a pace that Soi Fon could match. Soon they arrived in front of Urahara Shoten, Ichigo went inside and began to yell, "**URAHARA, GET OUT HERE!! NOW DAMN IT!!! RUKIA IS HURT, BAD!!!!**" Ichigo snapped his head toward he sound of Urahara's voice.

"What is all the..." Urahara's voice trailed off as he saw Ichigo with Rukia in his arms and the pool of blood on the floor. He rushed over and took Rukia from Ichigo and carried her into the his room and laid her on his futon as he hurriedly began to gather things.

Ichigo watched, vaguely aware that Soi Fon was now standing next to him, he removed the mask from his face and revealed the desperate and fearful look that painted his face. They both watched as Urahara applied a greenish balm to the wound which fully stemmed the bleeding. He next began apply some sort of bandage to the wound, after a few moments he stood and turned toward Ichigo.

"Soi Fon." He said, acknowledging the presence of Yoruichi's protegee, "She should be fine, but for the wound to fully heal I need something that I don't have right now, I can get it. With you here." Urahara noted, "it will be easier to get, I need you to go back to the Sereitei and get me a handful of red buckthorn leaves. With them I can fully counter act the poison that was on the blade. Don't worry she will get better."

Ichigo could only nod at Urahara, he went and sat down next to Rukia and began to gently stroke her hair as he let out the pain and hurt he felt. For the first time since his mother had died Ichigo began to do more than shed tears, he began truly cry, his body and heart racked with anguish that he had put Rukia in such a position in the first place. Once he had collected himself he turned toward Urahara who was standing at the door in deep conversation with Tessai and Byakuya. Byakuya crossed the room and sat down next to Ichigo.

He put his arm around Ichigo's shoulder and reassured him, "don't worry she will be ok. It isn't your fault, these things happen sometimes, combat is an unpredictable thing."

"I know, but if I had just..." Ichigo's words trailed off, finding that he lacked the words to express himself. "Where is Soi Fon?" He asked, noticing that she was gone.

"She went to get what Urahara needs. Where are your bodies?" Byakuya knew that they would have to be rounded up so the could be rejoined and to prevent any trouble from coming to them. Even under the control of gikongai the unexpected could still happen.

"They, uh, should be down by the public pool, we were on our way there when the call about the hollow came in. We sent them ahead to wait for us." Ichigo mumbled, finally remembering that his physical self was out wandering around.

"I will go get them, Urahara has sent Ururu to get your father. You just stay here and be with Rukia, that is what she needs right now." Byakuya set off, leaving Ichigo alone with his one great love.

"Rukia..." Ichigo whispered, holding Rukia's hand, feeling the warmth that told him she was doing better than before but she remained asleep. As time passed without his notice Ichigo found himself whispering silent prayers to some unknown deity. He was pulled form his reverie by the feeling of a strong and gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see his father smiling down at him.

Without a word Isshin hugged Ichigo and sat down and waited patiently for Soi

Fon's return. After what seemed to be an appropriate amount time Isshin spoke, "what happened?"

"We were on our way to the pool and we got sidetracked by a hollow, after he was defeated Soi Fon showed up with two of her people to take the remains when an arrancar showed up. While I was fighting him, Soi Fon and Rukia were covering Soi Fon's people and it broke away from me and attacked Rukia. After that I killed him, but I was scared, not just because Rukia was hurt. In that moment I felt the darkness rising up inside me again." Ichigo paused, needing to collect himself before continuing. "I know that he is subdued, but there are moments when he can exert more influence, like today. I used a lot more force to finish the arrancar than was needed. I am afraid that if I keep fighting alongside Rukia that I won't be able to keep my emotions in check when I need to."

Isshin rubbed his chin, and considered his son's words. "That is the great risk of being human, our emotions make us frail and vulnerable. But without them life would be a dull and joyless existence. The fact that you kept the hollow in check tells me that you can control him when the chips are down. Now why don't we go see about putting you back in your body?"

With a great deal of reluctance Ichigo stood and followed his father out of the room, turning to look at Rukia as he stood in threshold. As they entered the went into the living room they found Soi Fon and Urahara deep in conversation. Ichigo saw that his body, still possessed by the gikongai was standing off to one side obediently. He soon returned to his complete form, having at some point released himself from his Ban Kai., when he wasn't sure. "Urahara, do you have what you need?"

"Yes, Soi Fon had no trouble retrieving what was needed, Tessai is preparing the medicine as we speak." Urahara was confident that Rukia would be fine, in fact Soi Fon had consulted with Retsu Unohana, captain of the fourth company, and she had concurred with the treatment Urahara had suggested. "But before we can administer the antidote her gigai needs to be reunited with her soul."

"Why? She is a soul reaper, her gigai is just a vessel after all."

"Typically that is the case, but she has been inhabiting that gigai for so long that it has become more of a body than a typical gigai. We need to maintain that connection, especially since she wants to give birth to any children you two have on this plane." Urahara caught the stunned look on Soi Fon's face, somewhere deep down she thought that Rukia had been pulling her leg. "Why don't you go and reunite her soul and body?" Urahara gently suggested to Ichigo.

"Ok. Come with me." Ichigo led the gikongai powered Rukia to where her soul lay in repose. He had seen this done enough times to know what to do, taking the glove that Rukia carried with her he freed the gikongai form Rukia's body and gently lowered her and felt the two halves of Rukia join together. Sitting down once more he heard the door slide open and Soi Fon entered carrying a mug of tea that exuded a strong scent that Ichigo couldn't place.

"This is the antidote, she needs to drink it.' Soi Fon looked carefully at Ichigo, at this moment he simply looked like a deeply concerned man who saw the woman he loved laid low by injury. She set the mug next to Ichigo and was about to take her leave when he stopped her.

"Thank You."

"What?"

"Thank You for helping Rukia earlier. If you hadn't been there I would have rushed off and maybe things would have ended much worse than they did." Ichigo said these words as he continued to stare at Rukia's face, damp with the sweat of the fever brought on by the poison coursing through her veins. Ichigo raised the mug to his lips and took a mouth full of the hot, bitter liquid and with a gentle and delicate motion he passed the medicinal tea into Rukia's mouth. Once she had swallowed the antidote he repeated the process until all the tea was gone. It was then that a wave of exhaustion overtook him. He laid down beside Rukia and fell asleep holding her in his arms.

Soi Fon had watched as Ichigo administered the antidote, once he had fallen asleep she quietly stepped forward and covered the two of them with a light blanket. Turning for the door Soi Fon found Isshin standing in her path.

"The one thing I regret is that he has had so much put on his shoulders in such a short time. I am proud of him, as a father and fellow soul reaper. But as a father I worry about him, I don't want him to loose Rukia like I lost Misaki. He has already experienced that pain once, and that is enough." Isshin shook his head and for the millionth time reminded himself that no man could change the past. As someone once said 'The past is irretrievable. The present incomplete. And the future has already begun.' The simple truth was that they would have to deal with whatever happened rather than being consumed by thoughts of every possible outcome to every battle you fought.

"It is a lot for someone to deal with, but he has the strength to overcome whatever obstacles are put in his way." Soi Fon said as she slid the door shut, leaving Ichigo and Rukia in the all to temporary peace of sleep.

Some six hours later Rukia slowly opened her eyes, trying to remember what had happened after the arrancar appeared. She knew that Ichigo was with her, she could feel his strong arms tenderly holding her. Beyond that she knew that they were sleeping on a futon. Rukia tried to sit up but found that her chest was covered in something hard and stiff, even then her limited range of movement was enough to send shockwaves of pain rippling across her body. Weakly she called out, "Ichigo, Ichigo?"

Ichigo was instantly awake and alert, "What's wrong, do you need something?"

"No, but what happened, and where are we?"

"You were hurt by the arrancar, his sword was coated in poison and I took you to Urahara for help after Soi Fon did what she could for you. That is where we are. How are you feeling?"

"Better I guess, everything after the arrancar charged me is a blank until just about now." Rukia was still trying to figure out how exactly she had been hurt. "Could you tell me what happened?"

"When you tried to block his blade he used yours as a pivot and cut into your chest. There was poison on the blade, after he stopped the bleeding Urahara had Soi Fon get some stuff from the soul society that Tessai prepared. After I gave it to you I fell asleep." Ichigo sat up and stretched, "I need to go tell Urahara that your awake, and Byakuya probably wants to see you as well. Are you sure you don't need anything?"

"Maybe just some water." Rukia was suddenly aware of her tremendous thirst.

"Ok, I'll be back in just a minute." Ichigo made his way toward the kitchen, running into Urahara. "Rukia is awake, she needs some water." Ichigo caught the barest hint of a smile cross Urahara's lips, brought on by the knowledge that he had been right.

"That's good, I will get a glass of water for her and tell everyone else, you just go and be with her." Walking into the kitchen Urahara filled a glass with water and stepped into the living room. "Rukia is up, after I check on her you can go and see her," if she remains awake Urahara thought to himself. The antidote contained a fairly powerful sedative, the little that Ichigo had absorbed through his mouth had been enough to put him to sleep. Opening the door to his room Urahara saw that Ichigo had helped Rukia into a sitting position. "So, how do you feel?"

"I am still a little groggy, but otherwise not to bad, thanks." She added as Urahara handed her the glass of water. "So what kind of poison was on the blade that cut me?"

"Refined paravenin, if Soi Fon hadn't been there you might very well have bled to death no matter how quickly he brought you here." For his part Kisuke thought she was lucky to be alive even then, the paravenin that some hollows secreted was a very powerful anticoagulant. In its refined state even small doses could lead to small injuries resulting in death by exsanguination. "I need to take another look at the wound, if hasn't begun to close yet you will need another dose of medicine. Now let me have a look." Urahara knelt down and removed the bandage, causing Rukia to blush, as his doing so exposed her right breast. He was pleased to see that the wound was closed and that their would be little to no scarring. "Well you'll be fine, but I want you to spend the night here. If you move too much the wound might reopen, take one of these now," he said, handing her a small bottle of pills, "these will ensure that there is no scarring and speed your recovery. You can stay with her of course Ichigo, but if you two do anything take it easy ok."

"I don't want to be any trouble, if you want I can sleep somewhere else." Rukia offered, not wanting to kick Urahara out of his own bed.

"It isn't a problem, your brother needs to get back and that will free up my spare room, he will be in here to say goodbye once I'm done. Well I am going to get a few things then I will leave you two be, oh, I will have Jinta bring something for you to eat, he and your sisters came over here with your father." Urahara rounded up some clothes and a few other things and slipped out, telling everyone else that they could go and see Rukia now.

Byakuya asked to have a moment alone with Rukia and Ichigo first. He came through the door and sat down opposite Ichigo with Rukia between them. "Well, I know my timing isn't all that great, but I have to get back to the soul society, Renji can only stall and redirect questions about my whereabouts for so long. My mission here was supposed to only last a couple of days." He admitted with a sheepish grin, going on, "this is goodbye for now, I will try to see you again as soon as I can." Byakuya drew Rukia into a hug and stood up to make his way out, Ichigo walked with him to the door. Turning Byakuya took Ichigo's hand and said, "thank you for being so good to Rukia, take good care of her."

"Don't worry, I will make sure to take care of her. Well I guess this goodbye for now." Ichigo then did something that surprised even him, he hugged Byakuya.

Byakuya was somewhat taken aback by Ichigo's actions but he quickly put aside any lingering embarrassment and after a moment the embrace ended. "Until next time, hopefully that will be under better circumstances." With that Byakuya walked into the hallway and out of the store, disappearing into the void between worlds for a few moments when he soon emerged into the twilight drenched courtyard behind the sixth company headquarters building. His part in this, the opening act of battle was complete, now to tell his superiors where he had been. That should be fun he thought.

"Well well, if it isn't our fearless leader, where the hell have you been?" Renji asked with a smile, "you said that you would be here this morning, why the delay?"

"Rukia was hurt and I didn't want to leave until I knew she would be ok." Byakuya told his second in command, receiving the expected questions from him about his friend.

"What happened? How bad is it?" Renji was ready to go and see Rukia himself if Byakuya would let him.

"I know what your thinking, but she will be fine, their is no reason to go rushing off to see her. She was hurt by an arrancar, apparently their was poison on the blade and Kisuke Urahara was able to brew an antidote. Now I have to go and tell _him,_" by him Byakuya was referring to Katsuhiro Sawamura, the chief of operations for the gotei 13, that neither Urahara or Yoruichi would be coming back, "that they both turned me down flat, and I have one other thing to attend to. Do you know where Captain Ukitake is?"

"I believe he is at that bar he and Captain Kyoraku like to hang out at, I can call and find out if you want." Renji said as he leaned against the railing of the deck, he watched Byakuya mount the handful of steps and head inside

As he passed Renji he answered, "there is no need, I will go make my report first." Byakuya went straight through the building, not even bothering to stop off at his desk, wanting to get this unpleasant business over with as soon as possible.

Renji shook his head, since his fight with Ichigo Byakuya had changed a lot, and for the better. With nothing more to do Renji decided that if nothing else he was going to get himself a drink.

In other places other people were enjoying a drink as well. Urahara sat down across from Soi Fon and placed the glass in front of her. "What is this for?" She asked as Urahara poured something into the glass.

"It is for holding the scotch I just put in it, so you can drink it." Urahara could never resist to state the obvious. "But more to the point I want to talk to you about what happened earlier today. What exactly were you doing when the arrancar attacked you?"

"We where retrieving the body of a hollow that Ichigo and Rukia had killed for study, it is a type that has appeared recently. The mask continually drips blood, up until now we had not been successful in retrieving a body of this new type." Soi Fon jumped slightly as Urahara suddenly rushed from the room and came back carrying a file folder.

"This is all the information I was able to learn about the blood mask hollows when I ran the 12th company, it should prove useful. If I am right the arrancar was after you, not Rukia. What most likely happened was he had been told to kill a female soul reaper with dark hair, he just chose the wrong one. The poison is what is so telling, it was something that I helped to develop, not one of my better ideas in hindsight. If you had been struck as well I don't think you or Rukia would have survived, ironically Ichigo was at no risk at all."

"Why is that? And what exactly is he? During the fight today the mask of hollow appeared on his face." Soi Fon thought it could be a couple of things but she wasn't sure which of those was correct, if any of them were.

"He is just what he appears to be, half soul reaper and half hollow, and his condition is entirely my fault. Hollows as I am sure you know are immune to the paravenin that some of the produce, as a result Ichigo is immune." Urahara responded.

"Just how is it your fault?"

"When Rukia was taken he lost his soul reaper powers, at least those he had taken from her. To gain them back rather drastic measures had to be taken. Normally it would result in him becoming a soul reaper or a hollow, but he ended up becoming something entirely unique. What we did was to cut his chain of fate and throw him into the shattered shaft. Still though he seems to have taken it all in stride." Urahara added brightly, as only he could. "How about another drink?"

"Sure, I have no pressing engagements." Soi Fon held out her glass and waited for a refill. What had started as one more drink soon became several, before long Soi Fon was peppering Urahara with questions about himself and his past. Then came the question that everyone thought but no one ever asked. "What the hell is up with that damn hat of yours Kisuke?"

"This little number?" He playfully asked, pointing at his hat. "I wear because I like it, and it adds a certain air of mystery about me, no?"

"For all the stories I have heard about you your not so bad." Soi Fon quipped, deciding that praise should be tempered with criticism, "but you are as self centered as I had heard."

"Me, in love with myself, why I never, so maybe this one time but sill, me Kisuke Urahara self centered I find that difficult to believe..." Urahara was cut off by Soi Fon's hot, moist lips on his own. Once he had recovered from the shock Urahara immediately began to reciprocate, after nearly a minute and a half they came up for air. "What is that for?" Urahara panted.

"Because I like you, and your not half bad looking, so what do say to a little no strings attached sex for now, and maybe something more later." Soi Fon was amused by the look on Kisuke's face, he was torn between his desires and his inherent lack of trust by those associated with the soul society, his desire won out in the end.

"Sure why not, follow me." Urahara took Soi Fon's hand and led her to the spare room, and turned towards her. "So where to start?" After this rhetorical question Urahara began to strip down Soi Fon, pulling her toward the futon as he did so. He took in every square inch of her body, she was stunning. Like Yoruichi years Hakudo training had left her lithe and muscular, her curvaceous breasts being perfectly proportioned to the rest of her body, and she had legs that seemed to go on forever. "Wow!"

"I am glad you like what you see, but how about returning the favor?" As she watched Kisuke strip Soi Fon allowed her mind to explore the possibilities of what might have been if he hadn't left the soul society. Enough that she thought as he joined her on the futon. Soi Fon pulled him close and resumed her earlier assault on Kisuke's mouth. While she did so his hands made their way along her sides and across her taught stomach and back up to her soft breasts. "Ahh, that's nice."

"I aim to please," with these words Kisuke made his way down Soi Fon's body to her center, ready to really do something 'nice' to her. He slid his left hand along Soi Fon's leg and came to rest against her womanhood, gently opening her, admiring her glistening sex in the dim light. He blew gently across her center, drawing out a shiver and moan, he repeated this several times until he saw a stream of nectar flowing out of Soi Fon. He then slipped two of his fingers into her warm opening, feeling her clench down on them slightly, he used them to stroke gently at the top of her sex while he sucked gently or her clit.

Soi Fon moaned as she reveled in the feelings pounding through her veins, "OHHH, YES, DON'T STOP." Suddenly she took in a sharp breath and with a whimper she came, flooding Kisuke with her essence. With each instant another wave of pleasure overtook her like the surf of a storm driven sea against the shore. "Mmmm, your... good" She rasped, still feeling the intensity of her climax. "Let's have some more fun. Come here Kisuke." She commanded as she rolled him onto his back.

"No one calls me that."

"Well I will." Soi Fon fired back. She straddled Urahara and slowly lowered herself onto his hardened shaft, stopping after a few seconds, teasing him, then lowering herself a little more. Finally she took him completely inside herself, and there was plenty of him to take. She began to rock her hips smoothly back and forth, reveling in the familiar but all to rare feeling of being with a man. She felt the heat begin to build within once more as Urahara toyed alternately with her nipples and clit, showing his expertise at pleasing women had not all been undersold. But he came first, sliding his hands on to Soi Fon's hips, thrusting with power and need, taking back control. With a final thrust he found his release, his seed coating the inner recesses of Soi Fon's sex. This feeling was more than enough to send Soi Fon once more tumbling into the raging seas of pleasure, made all the more exquisite by the continued attention of Urahara's deft and skilled fingers. Nearly a minute later Soi Fon was able to catch enough of her breath to speak, "You are even better than the stories I had heard."

"And just who told them to you?" Urahara asked with a bemused sort of curiosity.

"Yoruichi, among a number of people" Soi Fon giggled slightly and went on, "are you surprised Kisuke?"

"No, it is just that I figured someone else who have taken the mantle as number one ladies man and lover in all of the Sereitei by now." Urahara was not quite sure how that had happened, he knew for a fact that at least three of the other Captains got more tail than he did, but had never gained the same reputation. "Well goodnight."

"Mmm, ditto." Soi Fon yawned, drifting off as soon as she closed her eyes. As Soi Fon opened her eyes she slowly collected herself and remembered the events of a few hours before. Shaking her head she tried to clear the combined fog of booze, sleep and sex from her brain. She slipped out of bed and looked down at the snoring Kisuke, giggling at the memory of their liaison. She was pretty sure she remembered where the bathroom was and after pulling on Urahara's robe and went on her way. She received one of the biggest shocks of her life, opening the wrong door she was floored to see Yoruichi soundly asleep, what shocked her was who was in her arms. It was a petite, dark haired girl she had never seen before. "**Yoruichi?!**"

"Huh? Soi Fon what are you doing here?" Yoruichi turned to see her former subordinate and protegee standing in the doorway, wearing Urahara's robe. That spoke volumes, but still Soi Fon was here for more than a little bedroom fun.

"I was here on business, and then I came here. Which way is the bathroom?" Soi Fon answered, but damn she needed to find the bathroom.

"Why didn't you use Urahara's?" His was right off of his room after all.

"Oh, right, Ichigo and Rukia are staying there while Rukia recovers."

"Rukia is hurt? What the hell is going on here anyway."

"Yeah, but she should be fine now, look I would love to stay and catch up but I _really_ need to find the bathroom." Soi Fon was starting to get desperate.

"Two more doors that way." Yoruichi said as she pointed in the appropriate direction.

"Thanks, I'll be back to explain every thing in a second." Soi Fon rushed out and dove into the bathroom, knocking a groggy Jinta out of her way. Once she had finished she washed her hands paused to rummage through the medicine cabinet to find some aspirin. She downed a couple and made her way back to Yoruichi's room, they steppe into the hall so as not to disturb Tatsuki. "Anyway," Soi Fon began, "I was here on orders to recover the remains of hollow that Ichigo and Rukia had killed. While that was going on an arrancar appeared and injured Rukia. Kisuke thinks it was after me and attacked he wrong person. The wound had poison in it and I had to go and get some things for Urahara, I was just hanging around after that, and well one thing led to another. Who is the girl, and since when are you into girls?" Soi Fon hadn't known that Yoruichi had that particular facet to her personality.

"Her name is Tatsuki Arisawa, she is a friend of Ichigo's, we met a while back. Actually she is the first, and probably only girl I am into. I don't know what it is but somehow we just seemed to click." They had missed a hell of lot yesterday, what had begun as lunch with Koji and his girlfriend had become lunch, shopping, a movie, dinner and several hours of hanging out. Everyone had retired for the night when they had gotten back at nearly two a.m. "So does he still snore like diesel engine?"

"Yeah, he is at right now in fact." Soi Fon shook her head and made her way back to the spare room and laid down and tried to get a few more hours of sleep. For some time sleep escaped Soi Fon, her mind continued to drift back to the moment that the mask had appeared on Ichigo's face. For all that it frightened and repulsed her she couldn't help but to be intrigued. She had spent her entire life fighting against the hollows in some form or another, and as a result she had always wondered how the world appeared from behind the mask. How did it feel, she desperately wanted to know, for the more she knew the better equipped she was to do her job. Tomorrow, she resolved to ask Ichigo just that.

For his part Byakuya would love to be in bed but after receiving the expected chewing out over how long he had been gone he still had to find Ukitake. The first three bars he had tried had been busts. Finally he was fourth time lucky, Walking through the door of dive by the name of 'The Dregs' the name was rather apt. Sitting down beside the other two captains Byakuya offered a greeting, "Jushiro, Shunsui, it is nice to see you two again."

"As it is to see you, but what brings you here?" Ukitake asked.

"Really, the great and honorable Byakuya Kuchki in dive like this one, its so seedy." Kyoraku added.

"Indeed the seediest bar within five miles of the white road gate." Ukitake was quick to note, with a fair amount of pride in his voice.

"Nay, the seediest bar in all of the soul society, but the prices are fair." Kyoraku noted, as if this made up for the damage done to ones reputation upon passing through the door.

"Food is good too. Seriously Byakuya what exactly brings you here?" Ukitake was genuinely intrigued as to why he was here. "Bar keep a drink for my friend here!"

"I have something for you, it is from Rukia," Byakuya reached into his jacket and pulled out her letter of resignation and set on the bar in front of Ukitake. "She has been through a lot lately, I hope you will understand her reasons."

"So what will it be?" A surly looking bar tender shot at Byakuya. He wasn't just suspicious of soul reapers but of each and every one of his patrons, with good reason.

"Whiskey, leave the bottle." Byakuya needed to unwind, and tying one on should do.

"So what does my errant and apparently incorrigible eighth seat have to say." Ukitake jokingly remarked as he picked up the envelope. He was surprised by the words on the pages, as he read a furrow appeared on his brow, unsure of how to react to what he was reading. Rukia was usually not the type of person to just walk away from something. The next page made her reasons clear enough. "Rukia is in love, well she deserves a chance at happiness, more than anyone else given what she has been through of late. Just who has she fallen for anyway?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki, the ryoka soul reaper." Byakuya answered in a moment between shots.

"Him, that is surprising, I always figured it would be Renji if it was anyone."

"It shouldn't be, look at what he did for her. If that isn't love I don't know what is." Kyoraku offered.

"So just how serious is it? I mean I don't want to have to deal with taking her back if it goes sour. If it is just a fling I will just keep losing the paperwork regarding her next assignment rather than filing her resignation with personnel." If he had to undo a resignation he would be filling out so many forms that he wouldn't see daylight for days.

"Their engaged, ring and all. He is perfect for her, and she for him. I have never seen her as happy as she is now. So will you endorse her other request as well?" Byakuya knew the answer but he felt obligated to ask, and if necessary advocate for his sister.

"Of course I will, she has been an excellent subordinate, and better friend." Raising his glass Ukitake offered, "to Rukia and Ichigo, may they have many years of happiness together." Byakuya and Kyoraku raised their glasses, embarking on long and enjoyable journey into inebriation.

Rukia slowly opened her eyes, trying to come to grips with all that happened the day before. She could tell that her chest was doing better, the dull throbbing pain that been there before was gone. Ichigo still held her in his arms. She loved how gentle and tender he could be, last night he had helped her to eat, to bathe and to dress. It was something that at first blush seemed out of character but to her it was his best part of his personality. She felt a stirring behind her that signaled that Ichigo was awake.

"How are doing?" Ichigo was completely unaware of his own needs as long as Rukia needed him. She was the most important thing in his world, and would do anything for her.

"Ok, but I have been better. The pain is mostly gone but my arm is pretty stiff." Rukia shifted herself slightly to get a look at Ichigo. "But I don't think that should stop us from maybe having a little fun, do you?"

"Well if that is the case then you really are doing better. I guess I can indulge you just this once. But remember we have to take it easy." The last thing Ichigo wanted to have to do was go looking for Urahara because Rukia's wound had opened back up. He forgot this thought as he felt Rukia's hands on his manhood.

"Well somebody is ready." Rukia giggled, having found just what she expected for this time of day. "How are we going to do this?" Rukia raised a good question, her bandages and limited mobility rather limited their options.

"I think I may have an answer." Ichigo told her as he busied himself with removing her pajamas. He sucked gently on her left nipple, moving his tongue small circles, eliciting a small moan from Rukia. His hands found the waistband of her pajama bottoms and began to pull them down, Rukia lifted her self up slightly and was now naked except for the bandages on her right side. Ichigo pulled off the shorts he had been wearing and rolled Rukia onto her left side, he then positioned himself behind her and put his arms around her and rolled onto his back.

"Oh, so this is what you had in mind," Rukia breathed, using her left hand to guide Ichigo inside of her. Rukia had to experiment for a while before finding the best way to move her hips. She slowly moved in time with Ichigo, neither of them wishing to rush the other. The became lost in the act of their lovemaking, the slow pace drawing out the pleasure. Finally Rukia needed release and began to rub small circles around her nub, the pressure slowly building within her. But for all her efforts she simply could not find release in the position they were in. "This is fun and all, but it just isn't going to do it for me." Rukia stopped and using her free hand she managed to reposition herself so she was straddling Ichigo. "Now this is a little better." She now set a more rapid pace, thrusting her hips up and down. Losing herself in the sensation of being filled, of becoming one with her love. Ichigo used his new found access to Rukia's chest to resume sucking on her left breast. Kissing and caressing the shapely mound, letting his hands find Rukia's wet and hot center, using his fingers to tease her clit, dancing around I but never touching it. "**AHHH, I AM GOING TO CUM!!!**" Rukia was drenched in sweat as she called out, seconds later the first contraction of her sex pulled Ichigo along with her. He smothered her cries with his mouth.

Ichigo carefully helped Rukia off of him, allowing her to gather herself while he went and drew a bath for the both of them. He came back and pulled Rukia to her feet, where she wobbled a bit, still feeling the effects of the medicinal tea and her injuries. He watched as Rukia sat down on a bath stool, trying to wash herself and partially succeeding. "Need some help?"

"I can manage, besides you need to wash as well." Rukia was touched that he would do so much for her, but she really could manage. Besides if he washed her they would just end up having sex on the bathroom floor and somehow she imagined that was outside of even Urahara's definition of taking it easy. Rukia stood and made her way to Urahara's massive bathtub, how he afforded these things she had no idea but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Rukia leaned back and let the steaming water unknot the sore muscles in her back and sides. "This tub is great, too bad we don't have something like this at home." The marble tub was easily capable of holding eight people with room to spare.

"It would be nice, but we have neither the space of money for something like this. How in the hell does Urahara pay for this kind of stuff?" Ichigo knew that Urahara had his store, but it could not make near enough money to support his lifestyle.

"No clue, he probably made sure he wouldn't have to worry about that sort of thing when he left the soul society. Well I am a prune now, and I am starving, how about you?" Rukia was awake enough to be fully aware her needs and hunger was at the top of the list.

"I could eat," Ichigo answered, awed by how the simplest of exchanges between them could carry so much weight and meaning. Ichigo helped Rukia from the tub and began to gently dry her off, reminding her once more why she loved him so much. "You know I think we should do something to say thank you to Urahara and Soi Fon, but I can't think of how to do so."

"I guess we could take them some where, or we could get them some sort of gifts for them." Rukia hadn't' the vaguest idea of where to take them or what to get them. Having finished dressing, with assistance from Ichigo they made their way toward the kitchen, where they found Yoruichi and Tatsuki helping themselves to breakfast "Morning, where is Urahara?"

"He is probably still asleep, he tends to sleep real well after he gets luckily." Yoruichi told Rukia, enjoying the stunned look on her face.

"So who did he sleep with?" Rukia was curious, she didn't know that Urahara had any love interests.

"Soi Fon." Yoruichi answered nonchalantly.

Rukia was stunned enough to drop the box of cereal she had picked up. "Your pulling my leg right?"

"Nope, she came into my room by accident last night looking for the bathroom, wearing Urahara's robe. I don't know how it happened but I suspect that booze might have been involved. When she drinks Soi Fon tends to get horny." Yoruichi turned toward the door to see Urahara and Soi Fon locked in the kind of kiss that told Yoruichi that this was going to be more than some one night stand or short fling. "Good Morning, I hope you two slept well."

"We did, so Tatsuki how is your brother doing?" Urahara didn't miss a beat, despite the fact that he was with his current girlfriend and being teased by his ex. Soi Fon was a little embarrassed, after all she had slept with the ex of her mentor and friend. But seeing her reaction she relaxed and realized that whatever had existed between them was completely over.

"He is doing fine, thank you for asking. So Rukia what happened yesterday?" Tatsuki wanted to hear this story.

"Well ok, but it will take a while to tell..." Rukia began to weave her tale, forgetting for the time that what they had all been preparing for was here at last. They allowed themselves to become lost in the simple pleasure of being among friends. But the storm that had been on the horizon had finally arrived, and was soon to break.


	13. Revelations and Returns

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 13

Soi Fon slipped away from the kitchen as Rukia told Yoruichi and Tatsuki of the previous days battle. Kisuke had told her that there were some things she could wear in his closet, and she needed to take a shower as well. As she crossed his room something lying obscured under a pillow caught her eye. Leaning down she realized that it was the hollow's mask that Ichigo had worn the day before. He must have forgotten about it, her curiosity overcoming her better judgement Soi Fon picked up the mask and looked closely at it. The very sight of it sent a slight chill through her bones, the teeth glistened, trapped in an evil smile, the lines on the mask looked almost as if they were made from dried blood. With a trembling hand she raised the mask to her face, at first it was as if she was wearing a Halloween mask, then suddenly her mind was filled with a terrifying, blood curdling scream. Everything went dark and was replaced by a vision of some other worldly existence where nothing but fear and pain could exist. Soi Fon could do nothing but curl into a ball on the floor and scream, desperately clawing at the mask, trying to pry it from her face.

At the same moment that Soi Fon was overcome Ichigo suddenly felt a throbbing pain that soon became a voice, a voice that he knew and feared, repeating the words "**EAT HER!! EAT THE SOUL REAPER!!!**" thundering in his ears. Ichigo held his head and his hands, trying to figure out why he had arisen now. When he heard Soi Fon's scream he looked up, and to the horror of every one else in the room his eyes had gone from the friendly brown eyes that they all knew had been replaced by glowing yellow pupils in a sea of blackness.

Urahara ran toward the sound of the screams with Ichigo right behind him, with Tatsuki and Yoruichi close behind. Entering his room he saw Soi Fon curled up on the floor, her hands still vainly trying to remove the mask. He reached down and tried to grab hold of the mask but when he touched it he caught the briefest glimpse of the hell in which Soi Fon was trapped. Quickly he pulled his hand away and turned to Ichigo, who had managed to gain more control over himself, though his eyes were still those of a hollow. "I can't take it off of her, you will have to do it." Urahara grimly told Ichigo.

Without a word he knelt down and took hold of his mask and gently pulled it away from Soi Fon's face. As soon as the mask was freed the voice in Ichigo's head disappeared and his vision returned to normal. Shaking his head slowly, Ichigo cleared the fog form his brain, and he steeled himself for what had to be done next. He placed the mask on his face and after a brief moment he regained complete control, and with a wave of his hand he once more sealed away that side of himself, the mask dissolving into nothingness. Looking at Urahara Ichigo began to speak, "just what the hell happened?"

"It is pretty obvious isn't it?" Urahara shot back, his concern clouding his normally sharp mind, failing to properly comprehend Ichigo's question.

"I know what she did, but why in the hell did it affect me!?" Ichigo angrily growled at Urahara.

Seeing that Soi Fon was beginning to recover he managed to pull himself together and answer. "The mask is a separate thing, but it is a part of you none the less. You and the mask are connected, that is my guess, nothing like this has ever happened that I know of. Soi Fon can you hear me?"

Soi Fon managed to nod her head, she was pale and covered in sweat, still shaking from the experience. She was unable to speak, or even move, the terrible images kept replaying themselves over and over again in her mind. After what seemed to be an eternity she managed to drive the thoughts and visions from her mind and slowly sit up. "I...I am sorry," she managed weakly, looking toward Ichigo. "I just wanted to...to get some idea of how a hollow sees the world." Soi Fon mentally chastised herself for being so stupid, she avoided looking at Ichigo as she collected herself and struggled to her feet with the help of Urahara. "I am sorry, I should have just left it well enough alone." She managed, still avoiding eye contact with Ichigo.

"Its ok, I can understand why you want to know more about the hollows, but you should have just asked me." Ichigo responded, with a slightly bemused look on his face. Soi Fon was not quite the person she appeared to be at first glance. Things around here became curiouser and curiouser with each passing day. "Well I am going to head back to my breakfast unless you need anything else." Ichigo went back to the kitchen, a new and troubling thought roving across his mind. He sat down across from Rukia and resumed eating, wishing to forget the entire experience.

Rukia couldn't let it go without knowing what had happened, she asked Ichigo what the commotion was about and he answered with a single sentence. Rukia worried that something was troubling Ichigo and felt obligated to ask. "Ichigo, what is bothering you? You know that I am here for you." she implored.

With a sigh Ichigo answered, "when I started hearing that, voice, in my head for a moment I could feel a hunger burning somewhere deep within me. It was as if I didn't consume a soul, any soul I would never be complete, I would always be alone."

"I see." Rukia considered her next words very carefully, "I can only say this, you are only as much of a hollow as you allow yourself to be. They seek out souls to consume because they are alone. I will never let that happen to you, I will always be here, so will your sisters, your father and your friends. What happened can't be changed, but you shouldn't let it cloud your mind, that only makes him stronger."

"Your right, but I still feel like there is always a chance that my ability to remain in control will falter." With a sigh Ichigo paused before he continued, "I know you and everyone else is here for me, and that is what makes possible for me to keep going when I start to worry about it."

Rukia looked up as Yoruichi and Tatsuki cane back into the room, "where's Urahara and Soi Fon?"

"They're still in his room, he said that he needed to talk to her about something." Tatsuki replied with a shrug.

Urahara looked at Soi Fon and opened his mouth to begin speaking, but he stopped as he reconsidered his words. Pacing back and forth he stopped when he finally felt he knew the right words. "I need you to help me with something, can you do that?"

"I don't see why not." Soi Fon responded, her confusion clearly played out in her voice and across her face. "What is it that you need?"

"A hell butterfly." Urahara waited for a response, knowing that he was about to take a big risk by doing what he was about to do.

"Are you sure, they might not take to kindly to you coming back." Soi Fon was floored by Kisuke's request. She didn't know the exact details of his departure from the soul society, but she knew that he had well and truly burned all of his bridges.

Urahara chuckled slightly as he went on, "the will be happy to see me. At least at first, the sent Byakuya to try and lure me back, but I refused. The main reason I am going back is find some information I need. I will offer them my help, but it will come with a considerable set of demands, and if the refuse then I will leave and let them fend for themselves."

"I, I, want to say I am sorry for earlier. It was stupid of me to do what I did." Soi Fon looked down at her feet as she mumbled out her apology. She really couldn't explain why she had done it, but she had.

"Its all right." Urahara swept her into a hug, and as he let go of Soi Fon he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry about it, I need to go tell Yoruichi where I am headed. While I am doing that can you go send for another hell butterfly?"

"Sure, hurry back." Soi Fon replied, brightly, feeling rather more sure of herself once more.

Urahara made his way out to the store before going to see Yoruichi. "Tessai, I need to talk to you for a second."

"What is it sir?"

"I am going to see them," leaving who they were unsaid. "I want you to look after things here, I should be back some time this evening. If anything happens you know what to do."

"Of course, how do you think they will react to what you tell them?" Tessai knew the kinds of conditions he would put on helping them, and they would be extremely heavy.

"Probably not too kindly, not that I particularly care wether the like them or not. If they want my help as badly as they seem to then they can swallow their damn pride. And will happily serve them a jumbo sized helping of crow to go along with it." Urahara couldn't wait to see the look on old Yamato's face when laid out what he wanted. Making his way back to the kitchen he pulled Yoruichi aside and explained what he was going to do.

She stared at him for a moment before speaking, "I am not going back, not under any circumstances." She told Urahara as she looked at Tatsuki who was engrossed in conversation with Ichigo and Rukia. "I will do what I can here, but that is all. After all that they have done to you I would think that you would feel the same."

"I do feel that way, except to keep my promise to Ichigo I need to go back. I think I know the answers to the questions I have, as bleak as they are. Still to be sure I need to look in the archives at least I can do that if nothing else." Urahara turned to leave when a familiar hand on is shoulder stopped him. Turning he looked back at Yoruichi, "so do you want to give me a good luck kiss?"

"Hmmm, no I think that Soi Fon wouldn't appreciate that. Take this with you, it may be useful for what you need." Yoruichi said as she slipped a key into his hand. "It is for the sealed archives of the special remote squad and the punishment force."

"Thanks, I need to go." Urahara turned and walked down the hall and went into his room where Soi Fon was waiting. "Ready?"

"Yes, whenever you want to go."

"Then lets go, I will follow behind you." Urahara held the hell butterfly in his palm and after a moment he was passing through the void between worlds. They emerged into the soul society at the foot of the hill where the second company headquarters building was. "Back again, and it doesn't feel to good." Urahara was uneasy about this, he still worried in the back of his mind that this might be a trap.

"So what are you going to do now?" Soi Fon inquired, not knowing how far Urahara had thought this through.

"We can stay here, you can send a runner for Captain General Yamato and Katsushiro Sawamura and anyone else they want to bring with them. I am going to make sure that they know who is holding all the cards, if they don't like it then too damn bad for them." Urahara was beginning to let his cynicism through. "While we wait for them why don't we go inside and relax?" He added with a grin and raised eyebrows.

Soi Fon laughed, "Somehow I think that if we did that we might be interrupted. The two of us being walked in on getting busy will rather seriously reduce your bargaining position."

"Sadly you are right." Kisuke sighed, "now to wait for Mohammed to come to the mountain." Following Soi Fon up the steps Urahara stopped to admire the view. He had no idea how Yoruichi had managed to move second company headquarters out here but he could appreciate why she had one so. With a sigh he spoke, "Do you know what the one thing I miss about this place is?"

"I thought that you didn't miss anything about this place." Soi Fon earnestly replied.

"Almost, I miss my friends. I have friends back in the real world, but I would like to be able to share my friends here with my friends back there."

"If you get what you want you will be able to do so." Soi Fon then turned and went inside, after a moment followed her inside. They went into her office where she sat down at her desk and prepared to write a message to summon who Kisuke needed. "What should I say to them?"

"Just something that will get them over here, but don't mention my name, beyond that it doesn't matter."

She wrote a few lines on a sheet of paper and sealed it with wax. Soi Fon then leaned out the doorway and called out, "Yamashida come here."

"What is it ma'am?" her second seat asked.

"I need you to take this over to the general headquarters building right now, give this only to Captain Sawamura or Captain General Yamato and no one else." Soi Fon watched Yamashida leave before turning to Kisuke, "now we just wait. What are you doing?"

"Waiting." Urahara answered as he stood to the right of the door. After several minutes they heard three sets of feet making their way down the hall, and who should be ushered in but the Captain General and his operations chief, joined by his intelligence chief, well at least there would be one friendly face here today. Sensing that now was the time to pounce Urahara spoke up, "long time no see, you look decrepit as always." Three faces turned toward him, two bearing looks of utter shock, the other just amusement.

"So you have decided to rejoin us?" Yamato inquired.

"Not exactly, I have other business here, but I thought we should talk before I took care of it. I know you want my knowledge and help but it will come at a price." Urahara's voice had become hard and cold, Soi Fon was taken aback by the venom in his words.

"Why you son of a bitch your hardly in a position too..." Before Sawamura could continue he was cut off by Yamato.

"Let us not be too hasty and hear him out. So what do you ask of us?" Yamato asked warmly.

"I don't ask, I demand." The ice in Urahara's voice caused Yamato's front to falter, it was clear to him now just how serious Urahara was.

"Fine, why don't we all have a seat and we can discuss all of this." Ukitake offered. He hoped in vain that his demeanor would help clam things somewhat .

Urahara flopped down into a chair across from Soi Fon's desk while Ukitake took the other chair and Yamato and Sawamura sat down on a couch against the wall. "Are you willing to hear me out?"

"Yes we are, please proceed." Yamato answered, having reassembled his facade of civility.

"When I left I gave a very strong warning that your own behavior would someday come home to roost and it has. You not only failed to understand the dangers of secrecy you went ahead and clamped down further, as far as I am concerned you have made your own damn bed and you can fucking sleep in it. I told you that Aizen was an untrustworthy fuck and that Ichimaru was no better," Urahara smiled grimly as the discomfort became apparent on Yamato and Sawamura's faces. "The truth hurts doesn't it, I also told you that Kurotsuchi was completely unfit to be either a captain or the head of R&D. He was then and still is the worst kind of sadist, so now we come to my demands. First, the Supreme Court will not be reformed, it will be succeeded by a government elected by the people outside of the Seireite. Two, the people in the Rukon will be free to come and go in the Seireite as they please. Three," Yamato had a look of stone on his face while Sawamura was white and trembling with anger, "the people will be told the truth of what is going on, the whole truth. Four, you will grant a full pardon to Yoruichi and apologize to her in person. Five Kurotsuchi will be kicked out and punished for his past behavior and finally you make every effort to reunite people with their families when they enter the soul society. My demands are absolute and non-negotiable." Urahara leaned back and watched as Yamato simply looked at him with set and resigned expression while Sawamura continued to fume.

Suddenly Sawamura sprang to his feet and began to yell, "you bastard you have the balls to make demands after all you did. I will make you sorry you came back here." He began to draw his zanpakuto but he stopped before it had cleared it's scabbard, feeling the sharp point of Urahara's Red Benhime against his neck.

"Still short tempered as always, sit back down." Urahara ordered, which Sawamura begrudgingly complied with. "You seem to forget that I can make your problems with Aizen seem like relaxing vacation if I so choose. I could always let the two of you destroy each other and step in to take the mantle up for myself. So what is your answer?"

"We will need to consider your demands before we make a decision." Yamato stated plainly.

"Fine, you have until sundown, now if you will excuse me I have something I need to see to." Urahara stood to leave as did Yamato and his companions. He watched them leave, turning toward Soi Fon he asked, "so what did you think of all that?"

"I think I don't know what to think. I never had you pegged for the type to care about how things are run around here." Soi Fon was still trying to come to grips with all that Kisuke had said. "They will probably reject your demands."

"I know that, but I have to at least try, and I could always just impose them on to them if I wanted. But that is self defeating, if I did that I would be no better than the are."

"Just why do want a new order here?"

"Because if I get what I want problems like Aizen and Kurotsuchi won't happen, they seem to have forgotten that as soul reapers they are servants of the people in the Rukon, not their masters. People, when left to choose their leaders make wise choices the vast majority of the time, and it creates a mechanism to correct for the rare occasions when they make poor choices." As he spoke Urahara made his way to the door which he closed and locked. "But enough talk about politics, how about we do something a little more, enjoyable?"

"Oh, your hopeless." Soi Fon giggled, she didn't refuse him however. She slipped out of her clothes and sat on the edge of her desk. "Well I am ready." She told Kisuke with a smile.

"My, my, aren't you the impatient one." Urahara replied with a laugh, as he approached Soi Fon he let his pants fall to the floor, followed by his shirt and hat. He knelt down and slowly kissed her inner thighs, his heart rate increasing with Soi Fon's scent caressing his nose, he saw a stream of clear nectar running down her legs and puddling on her desk, spilling over onto the floor. After several minutes of teasing he finally ran his tongue across her slit. Soi Fon shivered in delight with the electric feeling that pulsed through her, sending a new flood of her essence into Kisuke's mouth and onto the desk. He began to gently suck on her bud, eliciting a low moan from Soi Fon.

"Ohhhhh Yes, Kisuke!!" Soi Fon thrust her mound at Kisuke, urging him onward. As he slipped his fingers into her she began to pinch her nipples, feeling her orgasm building deep within her. With a gentle nip at her clit Kisuke made her cum. "**AHHHHH!!!!**" Rather than stopping Kisuke continued to suck and lick, dragging her pleasure out over several minutes. "Ah, you're good," Soi Fon panted, trying to regain her composure. She stood looking down at Kisuke's proud manhood, "so are you going to use that or just show it off?"

"Oh I am going to use it, just you wait." Urahara grabbed her around the waist and spun her around, taking the hint Soi Fon leaned against the desk. With a sigh he thrust his shaft into Soi Fon's warm and moist center. Thrusting with an unhurried pace he enjoyed the feel of her inner folds along his manhood. Suddenly he pulled out.

"What are you doing?" Soi Fon asked, desiring to be filled again, "OH!! You are a naughty one, go for it." Soi Fon waited and soon felt Kisuke's hands on her ass, he spread her cheeks apart and slowly began to enter her again. "Ah, that's nice, but how about remembering the rest of me."

"All right," Urahara began to play Soi Fon's breasts with his right hand and her dripping center with his left. He was nearing his peak and sped up the work of his hands, feeling that she was closing in on her climax as well. Suddenly Soi Fon clenched down on his fingers, and he came right along with her, "**AHHH!!**"

"**HUH!!!**" the intensity of her orgasm left Soi Fon breathless, all she could do was shudder as Kisuke held her against himself. When she managed to catch her breath she turned around and kissed Kisuke, enjoying the taste of herself that lingered on his tongue. "That was a new experience, a fun one to be sure, but not something to do everyday."

"True, as much I would like to spend the rest of the day doing more of the same I really do need to go do some research." Urahara began to pull his clothes back on, "so what are you going to do?"

"Catch up on some paperwork, and maybe come give you a hand later if I can get away." Soi Fon said somewhat dreamily as she floated in post orgasmic bliss. Laying down on the couch she went on, "I will send some one for you if I hear anything about what you told the Captain General."

"Thanks, you had better put something on, what if somebody saw you like that?" Urahara teased her.

"I just might be forced to do naughty things to them," she playfully fired back. "Besides I think anyone outside the door knows what was going on in here."

"I'll see you later." Urahara leaned own and gave her a final kiss before he slipped out and headed for the archives. Having watched Kisuke depart Soi Fon reluctantly got up and got some spare clothes from the closet and dressed, hardly looking forward to spending a large part of the day filling out reports, but she had no real choice.

Urahara stepped outside and pulled in a deep breath, ready to carry on with the job he came to do. He was surprised by the voice that began to speak to him.

"So you and Soi Fon are an item now eh? So what happened between you and Yoruichi, and just what is it you came here to do?" Ukitake asked with a grin.

"Damn it, you scared me, I have some things I need to look into in the archives. How did you know that me and Soi Fon were together?" Urahara inquired.

"Hah, I could hear you two out here."

"As for Yoruichi, we were together for a while but we agreed that we made better friends than lovers. If you have got nothing better to do why don't you give me a hand with my research?" Urahara added.

"Sure, I have nothing better to do. So just what is it you are researching?"

"I am trying to find some way to repair a soul that has been damaged, split actually, into part soul reaper and part hollow. I feel like I owe it to Ichigo to try, and I promised him that I would do my best." Urahara explained as he made walked along the narrow streets, making his way by memory to the building he sought. "I know that there is little chance of success but I have to keep my word and try to make right what I did."

Ukitake looked at Urahara with a confused look, "what do you mean what you did?"

Rather sheepishly he answered, "I sort of cut his chain of fate and threw him into the shattered shaft, and things didn't go according to plan."

"So that is where his power comes from." Ukitake said thoughtfully.

"No, it comes from his mother and father. His father is Isshin Kurosaki, his condition just allows him to express in a different form."

"Really, then you just helped him to awaken his zanpakuto, then how did he end up with a rent soul?"

"I don't know for sure, but my best guess is that he started to become a hollow but was able to call out his blade before the transformation was complete. His power is such that it scares even me, his mother was human, but an exceptional human and that is where the rest of his power comes from. He is an amazing person, he has learned to do so much in such a short period of time, for him the sky is the limit. But if he lets his control slip it could also lead to his downfall, the abilities he possesses are both a blessing and a curse. Ichigo appreciates the gift he has but he understandably desires to be free of the sword constantly hovering above his neck, and I don't blame him one bit." Urahara looked up as they arrived in front of the archives building, "so here we are, now were to start?"

"Given what you described I would say our best bet is to start with the records of the fourth company, I would think that second companies records would be useful as well if we could access them, and everything from twelfth company since you left." Ukitake offered, hoping that they would find something more than a collection of dry holes.

"Ah, but we can get into the second company archives," Urahara corrected Ukitake as he held up the key that Yoruichi had given him. "I will start with twelfth companies records, you check the fourth company files, after that we can go through the second company records together." Urahara knew that when Ukitake saw some of those files he would be fully committed to Urahara's position, secrecy can cut in two directions after all.

They spent the next several hours pouring over box after box of reports, daily logs and records of inspection without any hint of being on the right track. Despite several interesting but ultimately fruitless leads Urahara remained upbeat, he suspected that what they sought wasn't just going to be left sitting unattended on a shelf for the whole world to see. "You know," Ukitake said as he rubbed his tired eyes, "we could always ask the archivist for help."

"No harm in asking I suppose." Urahara followed Ukitake to the desk and after a moment a short and somewhat flustered looking male soul reaper appeared.

"What can I do for you two today?' He asked, eager to help, it was his job after all and it wasn't their fault he was having a bad day.

"We need to see any and all information you have on the soul resurrection and binding ceremony." Urahara said ad though he were asking for something as mundane as a dictionary.

"Uh, just one second." The archivist went to the large card index behind him and began to look through several drawers and after a couple of minutes he returned and handed them a piece of paper indicated where they should look.

Urahara scanned the page and saw only one promising lead, they had run down several of the others and he personally owned the books that were the remaining two. "Is this really everything?"

Swallowing hard and with a whisper the archivist leaned close to them and said, "that is all in the open areas, the rest is in the sealed second company archives on the fourth floor."

"Don't worry, we have what we need here, thank you." Urahara walked away, and once out of sight of the desk he made his way up the four flights of stairs with Ukitake close on his heels. "Now does it still work?" With bated breath Urahara put the key into the lock and it turned, to his great relief. "Yoruichi two, soul society zero." He muttered as he crossed into the room packed with files. Looking around he soon found the index for all of the stored files and after several minutes of searching was able to locate what he needed. Flipping through the sheaf of papers he saw that it wasn't all bad news. He sat down on stack of company logbooks as he read, paying scant attention to Ukitake who was looking through some of the files until he heard a sudden outburst which caused him to look up.

"**Those lying bastards!!!!"** Ukitake's hands shook with rage as his eyes raced across the pages detailing the hunting down and slaughter of the Quincies, complete with attached addendums describing the sadistic and pointless 'experiments' performed on the unlucky survivors by Kurotsuchi. What was all the more infuriating was the signature at the bottom the last page, which was a copy of the original operational order. It belonged to none other than Captain General Yamato.

"So what do you think of my demands now?" Urahara asked nonchalantly.

"They don't go nearly far enough." Ukitake spat out bitterly.

"True, but if they do as I ask the truth will soon come to light, as it will if the don't give in to my demands, and those responsible will be punished in due course. For now just keep this to yourself, although if you wish to share it with some one you trust explicitly then go ahead and do so. Come on I have what I need and if you read more of this stuff now you'll just get even angrier, I know. If after I leave you need to contact me just leave a message with the bartender at the dregs and he will see to it that I get it, I know you and Kyoraku like to hang out there." Urahara waited until Ukitake was well clear of the door when he shut and re-locked it. "Keep this," he added, handing Ukitake the key to the door, "I suspect you and Kyoraku can get plenty of use out of it, I have no further need for it."

"What do we do now?"

"We go back to Soi Fon's office and wait, it is getting close to sunset after all." Urahara watched as conflicting thoughts battled inside Ukitake's head. He remembered when he had done the same thing, walking the same path to the same place. Ukitake remained taciturn as they mounted the steps to the second company headquarters building.

Finally he spoke, "I don't know what you have in mind but I will do whatever I can to help you. The people deserve to know the truth, hell the majority of soul reapers don't even know the truth." Ukitake shook his head as he went on, "I may not know much about politics but anything is better than what we have now."

"True enough." Urahara responded, leaving it at that. He went straight to Soi Fon's office, ignoring the inquiring looks from people they passed. He saw that her office door was open and he went on in. "Hello, guess who is back?"

Looking up from the papers she had been reading Soi Fon chuckled as she replied, "sometimes I think you're still a little kid, but that is one of the things I like about you." Soi Fon pushed aside her work and pulled Urahara down into a deep kiss. They broke apart at the sound of a knock on the door. "Yes?"

"Captain General Yamato to see you ma'am."

"Very well, show him in." Soi Fon looked at Urahara, curious as to how he would respond to Urahara's earlier demands.

Urahara turned toward the door as Yamato and Sawamura came back in looking both grim and defeated. That was an odd combination, he suspected that on some points they were ready to give in and that on some others they would continue to fight for the time being. "So gentleman what decision have you come to?"

"We have decided to accept your demands with certain conditions." Yamato answered.

"What conditions are those? I told you that my demands were not open to negotiation." Urahara fired back , the ice and venom having come back into his voice.

"We ask that you give us a chance to study the idea of an elected government, and that we be allowed to determine if Kurotsuchi will be tried or not." Yamato said plainly.

Urahara had to fight to keep his anger in check, he nearly growled his next words to Yamato. "That is a rejection couched as a condition, either you do as I demand or you will never receive so much as kind word from me, much less my help. I would be willing to give you time to allow for a smooth transition of power, but not time to study it as if it was one option out of many, it is the only option. Kurotsuchi has to be tried, you in fact are just as guilty as he is in regard to some of his crimes against the Quincies, I know all of your secrets so don't act so shocked." Urahara shook his head, they still didn't get it, taking in a deep breath he decided that it was time to explain things to them in the simplest of terms. "The reason I demand a democratically elected government is very simple, the power of the government comes from the just consent of the governed. The government that exists now, such as it is, is inherently illegitimate. We soul reapers are servants of the people out there, not their masters. When people are allowed to choose their government they tend to make wise choices, and the system allows for the correcting of any poor choice they might make. When you come to understand that you will see that the involvement of the people acts as a check against the kind of excesses that have occurred in the past, and the kinds of problems you are facing now."

"How do you expect people from the common classes to be able to make decisions of great importance?" Yamato asked, revealing to Urahara just how clueless and behind the times he was.

"Your words reveal how little you know or understand the world that exists beyond your own door. There is nothing like that in the world today, class, you think that class makes any difference. Aizen was no commoner, yet he betrayed you and is now plotting to destroy you as we speak. The most powerful nations are not those obsessed with class but those that care only about ones ability, and those nations have governments elected by the people, the common people, and those same common people make up those governments. The world has changed mightily, you would be wise to go and visit it some time soon. If you saw it you might just be able to experience it and as a result understand it. I am feeling rather generous for some reason today, I will give you another week to think about what I have said here today. Until then I must take my leave soon so if you have nothing further to add then goodbye." Urahara watched impassively as Sawamura and Yamato made their way out. Looking out the window into the gathering darkness Urahara reflected on the disconnect between the soul society and the real world and how to rectify that incongruity.

In that other world someone else was dealing with darkness of another kind. Isshin sat staring at the syringe lying on his desk. The temptation to loose himself in the world of nothingness that the clear liquid within offered was too strong, despite all his efforts he gave in to the voice in his head and with a sigh he lifted the syringe and slid the needle into his arm, seeing the morphine cloud with a few drops of blood flowing back through the needle. Finding his willpower once again he stopped short of pushing the plunger home. His renewed self control was fleeting and he pushed down, loosing himself into the welcoming silver gray cloud of nothingness, letting the world disappear crossing into the vivid dreams that reunited him temporarily with his one true love.

Miyoko saw that the light on her answering machine was blinking as she came through the door to her apartment. Hitting the button she listened to the first message and was stopped cold in her tracks by the second and final message.

"Miyoko, its me, Isshin, I need help, I, I don't know how long I can manage without help."

Miyoko raced out to her car and was worried about what she would find when she got to the clinic. As she made her way inside Yuzu looked up in surprise.

"Oh, I'm sorry but we're closed." Yuzu recognized the woman who came through the door but she couldn't recall her name. She knew that she was a friend of her father's.

"Its alright your father is expecting me, is he in his office?"

"Yes he is."

"Thanks." She quickly made her way down the hall and when she came into the office she came face to face with what she had feared she would find, a relapse. "Great he is completely out of it." She picked up a vial and read the label, morphine, well that made waking him up fairly easy. Finding a syringe and alcohol swabs was easy enough but it took some digging to find what she needed but after a few minutes she turned up a full vial of Narcan. Miyoko like many recovering addicts was more than familiar with dosage charts and soon had drawn the necessary amount of the drug and found a vein into which to make the injection. Pushing the needle through into the vein and pushing down on the plunger sent the Narcan coursing through Isshin's body, destroying the opiates and giving him a very rude awakening. While Isshin slowly came to Miyoko pulled out her cellphone since she was going to be staying the night. "Hey Yomi. I'm not going to be able to make it home tonight can you take care of my cat for me, ok thanks." Looking down Miyoko saw that Isshin was now fully alert, ashamedly holding his head in his hands.

"I am a fool." Isshin had just thrown nearly seven years of sobriety down the drain, all for the temporary feeling of pleasure.

"Its not the end of the world you know, all you can do now is accept that you relapsed and to go on with your recovery. Frankly as your sponsor I am shocked that with your job this didn't happen sooner. So what was it that brought this episode about anyway." Miyoko knew all to well what the struggle against addiction was like, the reason people would fall back to using after being clean for so long was almost always emotional, having long since overcome the physical addiction. You could never stop being an addict, you just stopped being a user.

"Today would have been my twentieth wedding anniversary, I got to thinking about my life, and I realized that even though my kids are doing great I still wasn't happy, so I did something to go to a place where I could be happy." Isshin stared down at his desk, still too embarrassed to make eye contact with Miyoko.

"Did you ever think that maybe you have been keeping yourself from being happy. If you would allow yourself to try and find someone new you could be happy, you can't retreat back to this whenever you want to be happy. As harsh as it sounds Misaki is not coming back. And," with a blush Miyoko looked at her feet and added, "I know I have told you before that I want to try and be happy with you."

Isshin was overcome with conflicting thoughts, he felt a strong attraction to Miyoko, and he had for quite some time, but at the same time he was afraid to change the nature of their relationship. She had hinted before that she felt the same way about him as he did about her. Finally he decided that she was right. "I feel the same way, how about tomorrow we try to go on a date?"

"Ok, but for now you need to get some sleep, I will be up in a second. Oh have you ever told Ichigo and the girls about your problem?"

"No." Isshin rather humbly answered.

"Well before you do anything else you need to be honest with them, if they know they can help you." Miyoko considered her next words carefully, "why don't you get cleaned up, I will get everyone together and you can tell them whatever you want about your problem."

"Alright." Isshin responded in a monotone that betrayed nothing of how he felt.

Miyoko went back to the front where Yuzu was still putting records away, "Yuzu can you get your sister and brother and wait for me and your father in the dining room?"

"Sure. Um, if you don't mind me asking what is your name, and what is this all about?" Yuzu asked hesitantly with a confused look on her face.

"Oh, right! My name is Miyoko Shuguri, I am a friend of your father's, and he will explain everything in a minute." Miyoko apologetically answered, having forgotten that they had never been properly introduced.

Still feeling that something wasn't being told to her Yuzu went to get Karin and Ichigo, and Rukia as well. She found Karin watching tv in the living room and Ichigo and Rukia were talking in the dining room already. Once everyone was assembled they had to wait for only a couple of minutes. Isshin came into the room followed by Miyoko.

Isshin sat down and with a sigh he let go his last secret to his family, he began to speak haltingly. "This is Miyoko, she is my sponsor. I need to tell you that I have a problem, I am addicted to morphine. It started shortly after your mother died, I was clean for almost seven years, earlier today I had a relapse. Before I thought you were too young to understand what was going on but that is no longer the case. Miyoko these are my daughters Karin and Yuzu," indicating each of them in turn, "and my son Ichigo and his fiancee Rukia Kuchki. Everyone this is Miyoko Shuguri."

It was Ichigo who spoke first, "why didn't you tell us about this sooner?"

"I...I didn't want to burden you, and when I first started to deal with my problem you were all to young to understand. I had no reason to keep it hidden from you for all these years, I am truly sorry for that."

Karin looked at her father, and with tears in her eyes said what she and her siblings were thinking. "You know that we would do anything to help you, you have always been here for us, and...and we want to be there for you." Karin managed to say as she began to cry. Yuzu hugged her twin as they both broke down, unable to speak herself. Of all the people in the room Rukia was only one that fell out of place, she suddenly felt as though she was an outsider intruding on an intimate family moment, even though she knew that to the others she was just as much a part of the family as they were.

The remainder of the evening passed quietly, with the conversation around the dinner table being rather subdued. Karin and Yuzu watched tv with Rukia for a little while as Ichigo had a conversation with his father in his office. "Dad, what is it that you need form me, please tell me. I want to be able to help you." Ichigo implored.

"I just need you to be willing to listen, what I did today is because I refused to talk about my problems with anyone."

"So tell me what your problems are!" Ichigo snapped in exasperation, an action he immediately regretted, "I'm sorry for yelling, but please tell me so I can listen."

"I started thinking about how you and the girls are doing, how happy you are. You and Rukia especially, and that got me thinking about how I haven't had that kind of happiness for a long time. That was made all the worse by the date, today would have been our twentieth wedding anniversary. I just wanted to run away from all that, and the drug was my escape. It is such a cowardly thing to do, but I did it anyway." Isshin shook his head in disgust, being revolted at his own behavior.

Ichigo didn't say anything but took three steps toward his father and embraced him in hug. Isshin was surprised, Ichigo hadn't hugged him in years and after a moments hesitation returned the embrace. When it ended Ichigo began to speak once more, "I have never told anyone this, not even Rukia. When I first held Zangetsu I didn't know his name, he chastised me for my cowardice, for running away. I managed to overcome my fear to help the person I love but still that wasn't enough. Later when I was fighting Kenpachi, Zangetsu left me and I had to defeat my hollow half to regain him, in those few moments when I was without him I was so scared that I would fail, and that my failure would cost Rukia her life, it was that which gave me the power to regain him. You just need to remember what allowed you to conquer your fear and pain in the first place."

Isshin looked at his son with a wan smile, he really had become a man. "You are right of course, I needed to hear that. I do remember what it was that allowed me to beat this before and will help me to do so again." Both of them turned when they heard a soft knock on the door. "Come on in Miyoko."

Opening the door Miyoko stuck her head into the office, "I hope you don't mind but it is getting pretty late, do you mind if I crash on your couch for the night?"

"Sure, I am about to call it a day as well." Isshin was tired and feeling none too well.

"How do you feel? It can't be good and I should know." Miyoko commented with an ironic smile.

"My head is pounding," Isshin answered.

"I'll bring you something in a little while. Why don't you go take a bath first." Miyoko spoke these words as a command rather than a request.

"Ok"

After Isshin left the room Miyoko turned to Ichigo, "after your sisters go up stairs I would like to talk to you and Rukia if you don't mind."

"That won't be a problem, lets go ahead and do it right now since Yuzu and Karin's show should have ended by now." Ichigo felt much better after talking with his father and he wondered what Miyoko had to say to them. His mind began to wander as he trailed behind her, she was undeniably attractive, and seemed to have a good personality, it was too bad that his father had apparently failed to notice. Rukia would have slapped him if she had seen the way he was eying her butt, enjoying the slight swaying of Miyoko's shapely bottom. He did however manage to pull his eyes away before they reached the living room where Rukia was no alone on the couch, reading with the news on in the background.

Rukia looked up from her manga, "Are you settling in for the night Miyoko? I can head upstairs if you like."

"No, you don't need to do that. Actually I want to talk to you and Ichigo about some things." Miyoko settled into a chair as Ichigo joined Rukia on the couch, wrapping his arms around her. "I want to ask the two of you about Isshin. Has he talked to either of you much about how things are going for him recently?"

Before either Ichigo or Rukia could answer they were interrupted by the ringing of Rukia's cellphone. She picked it up and looked at the screen and then to Ichigo, her expression readily conveying the contents of the message. "Um, Miyoko I really do want to talk to you but something kind of just, uh, came up and it can't really wait." Rukia pleaded, trying to artfully escape without revealing why.

"Its a hollow isn't it? Go ahead and take care of it. Don't look so shocked, part of being someone's sponsor is knowing all about them, your father told me all about it when he first started to get clean." Miyoko waited for a response as Ichigo and Rukia traded looks.

"What type is it?" Ichigo asked Rukia as he stood up.

"It is just a single acidwire, here's the location." Rukia told him, wondering why he had asked.

"You can take he night off while I deal with him, you are still in no condition to fight. Shh, no protests." Ichigo cut her off as she began to object, "you may have lost the bandage but your wound isn't completely healed, so stay here unless you want another unscheduled visit to Urahara."

"Hmmm, ok but hurry back, I have plans for the rest of you, and it is no fun if your not here. But my patience won't last for ever," she called to him as he mounted the stairs.

"So you're both soul reapers then?"

"Yeah, we met under, interesting circumstances. Actually Ichigo is a substitute soul reaper to be exact. What is it you wanted to talk about?" Rukia was hoping to learn more about Isshin, he could be a very difficult person to read at times.

"Its like I sad before, I am worried that Isshin is bottling up all of his problems. Has he tried to talk to you or Ichigo about anything that is bothering him lately?" Miyoko waited for an answer that she already had but needed to hear from some one else.

"No, he tends to play those sorts of things close to the vest." Rukia stopped and thought for a moment before continuing, "the only time I have seen him get very emotional is when he gave Ichigo the ring to give to me." Looking down at the ring she herself became a little choked up as she explained, "it was the ring he gave to Misaki when he proposed to her."

"Hmph, when will he learn," Miyoko muttered to herself, "Isshin you fool." She returned to her normal voice and went on. "Isshin has a tendency to forget that part of being human is having human failings and weaknesses. You and Ichigo need to help him deal with his problems, first and foremost by simply talking to him, if you ask he will answer. His problem is that he can't bring himself to start that kind of conversation, but once it is started he can't resist but to join in."

"That shouldn't be a problem, but you have avoided telling me about yourself." Rukia wanted to know about Miyoko, because she thought that she and Isshin would make a good couple, "I would think that you and Isshin would have developed a more," Rukia searched for the right word before going on, "than platonic relationship."

"I have wanted that for quite a while but Isshin keeps refusing, but I finally managed to agree to a date, so heres hoping." Miyoko looked straight at Rukia and went on, "I would be happy to tell you about myself but you go first."

"You're good, turning that right back at me. Hmm, well as you know I am a soul reaper, until recently I was assigned to one of the thirteen court guard companies. After Ichigo and I got to together I resigned and requested a permanent assignment here." Rukia began, going on to tell of how she and Ichigo had met, her return to the soul society and Ichigo's rescue of her up until the events of the day before.

"Wow, that's a hell of a lot to go through in such a short time. Myself, I am a columnist for the Yomiuri Shimbun, I am thirty two years old, blood type A negative, a Capricorn and I have been clean for ten years. I met Isshin when he had just finished detoxing, and I have been helping him ever since. About four or so years ago I first floated the idea of us going out but he turned me down flat." Miyoko shrugged her shoulders and smiled at her last remark, "I cold tell that he wanted to say yes but something was holding him back, but after four years of chipping away at him I finally managed to get him to say yes. That is pretty much my story." Miyoko saw that Rukia was about to ask her a question but she told her, "hold that thought, I promised that I would take Isshin something for his head. She rummaged through her purse and came up with a bottle of ibprofen tablets, taking two of them she made her way up the stairs, nearly running into Yuzu who was on her way down. "Oh! I'm sorry."

"Its ok, um thank you for helping my dad." Yuzu mumbled as her face turned a deep crimson.

"Its nothing, I am just repaying what someone once did for me, and your dad does the same thing for someone else." Miyoko said with a smile. Continuing to Isshin's room she found the door slightly ajar, "can I come in?"

"Yeah," Isshin called, not looking up from the picture he was staring at.

"I thought you might want these," Miyoko calmly remarked, holding up the two pills.

"Oh, thanks." Isshin took the medicine from her and swallowed both of them, still focused on the picture he held in his left hand.

Miyoko sat down beside him on the bed and looked down to see what had Isshin so entranced. It was a picture of him, Misaki, the girls and Ichigo in front of the clinic. "Remembering happy memories?"

"Yeah, but in a way even this," Isshin waved the picture, "is more bittersweet than happy. It was taken less than a week before she was killed, not to long ago I killed the hollow who attacked her. I had always hoped that it would help to ease the pain, but it did nothing to make me feel better. Revenge was pointless in this case, it did nothing to let her find peace."

Miyoko pulled Isshin to her and lightly kissed him on the cheek, running a hand through his unruly hair. "That may be true, but she will find peace at some point and who is to say she hasn't already." Taken by surprise Miyoko found herself falling back onto the bed with Isshin, his mouth passionately against hers, their tongues suddenly engaged in an erotic battle. After a few frantic moment she pulled away from Isshin, "not tonight, you need to sleep. If we do this I want it to be without any doubt as to why it happened."

Sighing Isshin knew that she was right, "goodnight Miyoko."

"Goodnight, if you need anything you know where I will be," Miyoko gave him a stern look and added, "anything but that."

"Ok, Ok, goodnight." Isshin laughed as Miyoko continued tog give him a look hat she thought was stern but was more like a cross between annoyance and barely contained lust.

Shaking her head as she descended the stairs she heard Rukia and Ichigo engaged in conversation. Not knowing why she stopped to listen.

"It was just the one, but damn if it wasn't the biggest acidwire I have ever seen. I'm going to have a shiner for at least a week." Ichigo grumped as he held the cold pack to his face, "I ran into Yoruichi and Tatsuki, they were headed home I guess and sensed the hollow and came to lend a hand, after it was over I talked with Tatsuki, she said something kind of funny."

"So what was so funny?" Rukia asked, feeling as though she could use a good laugh.

"Not funny, but funny. She told me that for a long time she has been attracted to me, that didn't come as a huge surprise but what she said next has me confused. She said that maybe we and the two of them get together for some, ahh how shall I put this, some, ah, group fun."

Rukia stared at Ichigo with her mouth agape, stunned into utter silence. After what seemed an eternity she responded, "was she serious or was she just pulling your leg, because she learned that from the master."

"That is what was so weird about the whole thing, the way she said it was really hard to read. Yoruichi just kind of smiled, and I made a joke about it but I think she might have been serious. I mean how are you supposed to respond when your best friend suggests that you should be part of a group grope." Ichigo shook his head, unable to completely comprehend the proposition that may or may not have been put forward.

Rukia thought for a moment before resuming their conversation, "I don't know that could be fun. I have always wondered what it would be like to be with another girl, and you have only ever been with me, it might not be a bad idea to broaden your horizons."

For his part Ichigo was now the one with his mouth hanging open as many dirty and erotic images danced through his head. He vaguely became aware that his pants had become rather tighter. "I don't know, are you sure about that? I am perfectly happy to be only with you."

"I know, and that is one of the reasons I love you, but be honest the raging hard on you have is the result of you imaging me and Tatsuki together isn't it, or is it Yoruichi?" Rukia teased, knowing that his hard on would soon be put to good use. "I mean she is your type after all, we're both petite, shapely, athletic and have dark hair, or is the bronzed goddess with an ample bust that has you more excited?"

"Uh, well, mostly I was thinking about you and Tatsuki, but Yoruichi is undeniably attractive as well. But yes you and Tatsuki are more my type than say Yoruichi or Orihime." Ichigo was forced to admit.

"Well how about we do something to take care of that?" Rukia said as she stroked Ichigo's crotch.

"Mmmm, sure." Ichigo groaned, thinking that if she kept this up he might need to change his clothes.

Miyoko decided that to keep from embarrassing herself or Ichigo and Rukia she slipped halfway back up the stairs and dropped the pill bottle with and chased after it with a curse.

Ichigo looked toward the stairs as Miyoko appeared, "how is dad doing?" He asked, trying to act as though nothing had been going on.

"Fine, just fine. I hate to be a bother but do you have any spare blankets and a pillow I could use?"

"Yeah we do, that stuff is in our closet, I guess you shouldn't have come back down stairs." Ichigo stood and took Rukia's hand and they went up to their room with Miyoko trailing behind them.

Miyoko was somewhat surprised when she entered Ichigo's room, not that it was his, but that it was clearly his and Rukia's. What caught her eye was a pair of stuffed bunnies on the desk, each with an embroidered message of love. She was pulled from her reverie by Ichigo's voice.

"So is this stuff going to be ok?"

"Yes, thank you. Well goodnight, again thank you for your hospitality."

"Its nothing really." Ichigo assured her as he walked to the door with her, watching her quietly head down the hall to the stairs. Turning back toward Rukia he smiled as she lay on the bed in nothing but a pair of light pink panties as she played with the Chappy he had given her. "I wish I had a camera right now."

Rukia smiled back at Ichigo and put her Chappy down next to his, "I am incredibly cute, so come on over here and get a better view."

"I will in all do time." Ichigo playfully quipped as he began to strip. Once he was free of his clothes he sat on the bed and ran his hands across Rukia's body, starting at her belly and going up to her shoulders and down to her feet, loving the feel of her soft smooth skin against his hands.

"Ahhh," Rukia sighed as Ichigo slipped his fingers into her panties and slid them down and off her legs. He bent over and tenderly kissed her mound, tasting the first hint of her nectar on her lips. He kissed his way up across her stomach and up to her breasts, gently sucking on first one then the other, finally coming to her mouth, which he tried to devour with his own. Rukia couldn't stand it, she wanted more, but Ichigo was determined to drag it out for as long as he could. He returned to Rukia's chest, dragging his tongue across each of her swollen buds, pausing to blow on them and being rewarded with a shudder from Rukia. He began to suckle Rukia's's right mound while his hand descended to her womanhood, spreading her apart he slipped two of his fingers into her and began to slide them in and out while his thumb came to rest on Rukia's clit. Circling it but never touching it he felt himself becoming even more aroused with the sounds that Rukia was making. "**OHHhh! GOD**, please give it to me!" Rukia moaned, being unable to take much more of Ichigo's erotic torture.

"Not yet, I want you to really enjoy this." Ichigo chuckled, knowing that for all her protests Rukia was loving this, and he was getting his revenge for the time she had made him beg for more. Ichigo now brought his mouth to Rukia's sex, "I think this part is my favorite." His words sent a bolt of pleasure up her spine. Ichigo covered the entirety of Rukia's sex with his mouth, making her feel as though he was trying to devour her entire being. Pulling away slightly he slowly probed her depths with his tongue, drinking in the sweet juice that was now coating Rukia's inner thighs and flowing onto the bed.

Rukia was whimpering with pleasure, never having been held on the cusp of orgasm for so long. "**Mmmmmm, AHHhhhh!!**" She couldn't believe that it was possible to feel so good, or that she could become so wet. The return of Ichigo's fingers to inside her was almost too much, but he was anticipating this and reduced the pressure his tongue was giving kept her from coming. Ichigo decided that he had drawn this out long enough, moving to enter her Rukia looked up at him with a mixture of love and wanting in her eyes. Ichigo pressed his tip against her opening, but rather than driving into her he went in slightly and stopped, starting again after a few moments, repeating this several more times. Once fully connected he thrust with a slow pace, feeling the tension building within himself. Rukia was truly on edge, feeling her climax begin to build and with a scream Rukia came. "**AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! YES!!!!! MMMMMMM!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!**" Rukia had never cum so hard or for so long, she could feel nothing but pleasure, her body quaking with release, a fresh flood of nectar pouring forth from her center. Her pulsating contractions ripped away any self control that Ichigo had so valiantly maintained.

"**GAAHHHHH!!!!**" Ichigo called out, smothering his continued cries with Rukia's breasts. After what seemed to be a year or more they began to descend from the magnificent heights of ecstasy they had reached. Panting heavily Ichigo pulled Rukia against him and whispered into her ear, "I love you, and I always will."

Rukia smiled in the darkness, unsure if she even able to speak. Her reply was to kiss Ichigo and reply, "of course you do. I love you to, and I will always be here for you or your family." Ichigo's response was silent but more than enough for Rukia as he tightened his embrace of his love.

On the couch a floor below Miyoko grinned, "my, they were busy." The sounds of lovemaking had made Miyoko hope that she could be the woman moaning and calling out because of the touch and caress of a skilled lover. With this thought in her mind Miyoko drifted into sleep.


	14. Fun in the Night

Bunnies of Love

Chapter 14

Fun in the night

**Authors Note:** This is the next to last chapter of this story, at least for now. It has been a fun ride while it has lasted and I deeply appreciate all of the positive responses I have received. This story was intended to be a simple and fairly short bit of lemon that has grown into a labor of love over these months. I hope that all of you who read and enjoyed this story will follow me to my next story, which will be a short FMA piece, then I hope to begin a sequel to this story that jumps forward several years from whence it ends. The simple fact is that I have more ideas than time to write so I try to write those that offer the possibility of going outside the realm of routine fan fiction and give me the chance to do unexpected things and create unexpected pairings of characters. As far I have been able to determine I am the only person who has paired off Yoruichi and Tatsuki, and few people I think would see Kon as having the potential for real growth as a character, I disagree. Because to us they are vague and underdeveloped they have the most potential for the writer of fan fiction. They can be taken from the background into the foreground and given a chance to shine. So enough with the bloviating, on to the main event, conclusions of hanging plot threads and hot hot four way action ahead. ;-)

--_**Raging Tachikoma**_

P.S. Please check out my website at http://ragingtachikomablog.mee.nu

Chad smiled as he watched Michiru, she possessed he best singing voice of anyone he had ever heard, and with some prompting from him she had finally taken the step from choir to soloist. They were taking things slowly, as they both wished to do so. He shifted slightly in the hard wooden pew, marveling at how Michiru's voice could carry so well in the empty church as she practiced. Chad was fairly sure that she hadn't seen him slip in and sit down, when she finished with the hymn she had been singing he began to clap.

Michiru looked up in surprise and seeing who had been watching her a massive grin split her face. "I didn't expect to see you here." She said brightly as she made her way down the aisle to Chad.

"Its not a problem is it?" Chad asked playfully.

"Of course not, I am always happy to have an appreciative audience, especially if you are in it." Michiru responded happily, "I'm about done here, so how about we go grab a bite to eat?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth." Chad responded with a smile. Standing up he took Michiru's hand and walked with her out into the warm spring sunlight, marveling at how much his world had changed in so short a time. For some reason finding someone to share it with had helped to put his mind at ease where just a few weeks before it had been so unsettled an pre-occupied with fear and worry. Making their way along the quiet streets they talked of nothing in particular, just enjoying the simple act of being together. Chad was pulled from his reverie when he saw a rather familiar looking black blur go flying across his field of vision along with a yell.

"OH SHIT!! OOOooooffffff!" Ichigo stood up and dusted himself off, knowing that he had to reappraise how he was going to deal with this hollow. Picking up his Zangetsu he watched as the hollow began to stalk toward him once more, wishing that he had some help, but he didn't so he would just have to figure this out on his own. He could use his Ban Kai, but that would be overkill, he felt like he had become somewhat too reliant on it of late. Gripping the hilt of Zangetsu tightly he charged back in and with a quick feint he swung and felt his blade connect, but not enough to destroy the hollow. Ducking another swipe of the hollows massive tail he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"You look like you could use a hand." Chad remarked in his usual monotone.

"Damn straight! If you can just hold him still I can finish him off." Ichigo yelled out to Chad.

Chad prepared to wade in but he was held up by a puzzled look from Michiru. "What is going on, and who where just talking to?" She asked with a look of total and complete puzzlement painted across her face.

"Uh, it's Ichigo, I'll explain later. Just wait right here Ok."

"Ok, be careful!" Michiru called after Chad as he ran around the corner to rejoin Ichigo.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just slow him down, I don't care how!" Ichigo yelled over the din of the hollow's continued rampage. He readied himself as Chad went running into the fray, he let loose a s powerful swing that snapped the hollow's leg like a dry twig. Seeing this Ichigo ran forward and sent Zangetsu plunging into the hollow's neck. With shudder the battle was over, the hollow vanquished. "Thanks Chad," Ichigo sighed, thinking that he needed to get is head back in the game. The combined words of Rukia and Tatsuki of the day before continue to echo in his head. Lost in his thoughts he was vaguely aware that Chad had returned to Michiru and was headed off to where ever it was they were going. He wandered home, having decided to take the bull by the horns and deal with this and be done with it. Walking into the clinic he saw Rukia in the kitchen, and Tatsuki was with her, well that would make things fairly easy.

Rukia continued to talk with Tatsuki as she watched Ichigo make his way upstairs, knowing that he would be back once he had retrieved his body. "So, what do you think he'll do?"

"I don't know, maybe you can tell me." Tatsuki replied with a laugh as she wondered for the millionth time what Ichigo's reply to her proposition would be. She still couldn't believe that she had actually gone and said what she had, but it was too late to take it back now. "Hi Ichigo, what's up?"

"Not too much, Rukia can I talk to you alone for a minute?"

"Sure, excuse us for just a second." Rukia followed Ichigo into the living room where he began to pace back and forth. "So what have you decided?" Rukia knew what it was that had Ichigo so distracted. She smiled as he continued to pace, obviously still somewhat conflicted about the whole thing.

"I think it might be worth giving it a try, if you agree. But there is no way I will do this if you have any doubts."

"I don't, I stand by what I said last night, this could be a lot of fun. Oh! Where is your father, it seems awfully quiet around here today?"

"He's spending the day with Miyoko, its about time he got back on that particular horse, it will do him a lot of good. So lets go tell Tatsuki the good news." Ichigo said as he took Rukia's hand and led her back into the kitchen where Tatsuki was waiting. Drawing a breath and holding it momentarily Ichigo prepared to say words that until recently he believed would never dare to cross his lips. "Tatsuki, I, no, we are willing to go along with whatever you and Yoruichi have in mind." Even though they were only words Ichigo felt as though saying them to someone other than Rukia made the decision real, or at least more real than it had been only a few moments before, now that he was left with no path but to go forward.

Tatsuki smiled brightly and looking directly at Ichigo said, "well I am glad your giving us free reign."

Ichigo was slightly worried by the sly and mischievous grin that was painted across Tatsuki's face. "I think I am regretting how I phrased that," he said lightly.

"Hmmm, I don't think you will regret it later tonight. So I will see you two at my house at say seven?" Tatsuki asked with her usual cheery voice.

"That sounds great," Rukia answered, giving a smile to Tatsuki as she made her way out.

"Good, I am looking forward to it." With those words Tatsuki disappeared from view to go about the rest of her day.

"I wonder how dad is handling things?" Ichigo mumbled to himself, forgetting that he wasn't alone at the time.

"Well I don't think he'll make a total ass of himself, but I wouldn't expect instant fireworks or anything. Given how long it has been since he has been in a relationship I would think that he will try to take things easy at first. But enough about other people what are we going to do for the rest of the day? I don't really feel like sitting around and watching the clock but I am also totally bereft of ideas." Rukia looked at Ichigo somewhat expectantly and was pleased when a smile began to spread on his face.

"I know just what to do, let me go get a few things and we'll be off." Ichigo called as he sprinted up the stairs.

Rukia watched him go, not knowing what he had in mind but completely prepared to go along with whatever he had in mind. She allowed her thoughts to wander, exploring some of the possibilities for later in the evening, deciding on one in particular to suggest to Yoruichi and Tatsuki. Despite her somewhat reserved nature around other people Rukia harbored a not inconsiderable perverted streak. That was after all why she had been so quick to agree to Tatsuki's rather surprising proposition.

Ichigo rummaged through his desk and after a minute found what he sought at the back of the middle drawer, behind his collection of well thumbed h manga. Triumphantly holding the passes aloft Ichigo grabbed his wallet and keys and bounded back down the stairs. Rukia was still sitting on the couch, absent mindedly flipping through the channels, Ichigo caught snippets of programs as she searched for something to watch, "The JMSDF launched the helicopter carrier Hyuga today...With a home run in the eighth...The Prime Minister's cabinet reshuffle...Now with more energy boosting...Damn it Asuka..." Ichigo carefully got right behind Rukia and whispered into her ear, "any thing good on?"

Rukia jumped slightly at the sudden disturbance, having been lost in her thoughts more than the images on the screen and their corresponding sounds, having failed completely to sense Ichigo's approach. "Nothing it would seem," she answered in a bored tone, doing an acceptable job of covering her surprise to most people, but failing to fool someone who knew her as well as Ichigo did.

"Well I was thinking even though we have been together for a while now we seem to have never gone a proper date. I know that it seems like a bad cliche and all, hell it is a bad cliche. I've got these two free passes to an amusement park that will expire at the end of the month so I thought we could use them today. It is 11:00 right now and it should take about half an hour to get there, that should gives until about five thirty before we would need to head back. Do you think you are up to it?"

"Sure, it sounds like a lot of fun." Rukia answered excitedly.

Ichigo watched as Rukia got ready to go, he shook his head sightly. The enthusiasm she was displaying was one of things that he loved about her. Her lack of knowledge and experience in the world could be so damn cute at times, like when she had her first encounter with a juice box, the very thought of that day brought a smile to Ichigo's face. "So lets go."

"We had better leave a note for your father." Rukia reminded Ichigo, having forgotten that they were they only people home at the moment.

"That reminds me where are Karin and Yuzu at?" Ichigo wondered aloud.

"Yuzu is at Urahara's, I think that Karin went with her. They should be fine over there so that is one thing we don't have to worry about." Rukia answered as she watched Ichigo quickly scribble out their plans on piece of paper and leave it on the table. Soon enough they reached their destination, taking a place in the line to get in amongst what appeared to be families enjoying the last few days of the school holiday together.

Ichigo couldn't help but to look at Rukia, still unable to completely comprehend that they really were together. Whenever he had thought about it before he was left in awe of the effect that love had on him, on the way that it changed him for the better. He shook his head slightly, reminding himself that they were here to have fun, not to become lost in thoughts of might have beens and maybes, they were together now and that is what counted. "So where should we go first?"

"Hmmm, how about the Ferris Wheel?" Rukia wanted to try nearly everything but they had to start somewhere, and that was in keeping with Ichigo's earlier comment on the cliche nature of this date. Looking out onto the panorama around them Rukia felt the total sense of peace and happiness that came to her in the quiet moments when she was alone with Ichigo. Taking hold of Ichigo's hand Rukia looked up into Ichigo's eyes and mumbled, "you know a kiss would be perfect right about now."

"I can do perfection," Ichigo replied, his lips finding Rukia's, drinking in her warm breath, looking lovingly into her limpid blue eyes. In these moments he understood why it was said that the eyes were the window to the soul. The rest of the afternoon passed pleasantly enough, with the final cliche being the massive stuffed bunny that Ichigo had won for Rukia. As they wound their way toward home neither them said much, both lost in thoughts of the debauchery that was to come within a few hours. "So, what now?" Ichigo asked as they stood before the front door.

"Well I guess we should get ready," Rukia replied, "I'll let you go first since you shouldn't take as long."

"That sounds fine to me, I don't know about you but I am really nervous about this whole thing." Ichigo admitted rather sheepishly.

"Do you want to call this off, we agreed that if one of us didn't want to go through with this we wouldn't. It doesn't matter to me wether we go ahead and do this or not, I love you all the same, and I would never do anything to hurt what we have together." She embraced Ichigo as she continued, "I trust and accept whatever decision you make." Even though she couldn't see his face Rukia knew that Ichigo was smiling, feeling exactly as she did. Her words to Yuzu describing love as the absolute trust between two people seemed all the more true in that moment, a moment that seemed to last for an eternity.

Finally Ichigo spoke, "no I still want to do this, I am nervous but then again you are the only person I have ever been with. Truthfully this kind of like the feeling I had in the time leading up to when I told you that I loved you for the first time."

"We need to go inside if we are going to get ready, as much as I want to stay here holding you we can't stand on the front step forever." Rukia sighed, slowly releasing her embrace of Ichigo as he to reluctantly let go of his love.

They went inside to find Isshin and Miyoko engaged in conversation in the kitchen. Rather than disturbing them they quietly slipped upstairs and went straight to their room. "So their date must have gone well." Ichigo commented as he pulled off his shirt as he stripped before heading for the bathroom. Staring at himself in the mirror Ichigo took in a deep breath as he tried to calm his mind and failed utterly. He made his way back to his room, passing Rukia on his way, pausing to give her a quick but passionate kiss. "Don't take to long, or I might have to start with out them."

"Hmmmph, who knew I would fall for a total letch." Rukia teased, pushing Ichigo back toward their room as she continued on her way.

Ichigo didn't have to wait for long, as Rukia soon returned. Taking hold of her hand they started to leave when a question from behind caught him short.

"So where are you two off to?" Isshin asked lightly from his place at the kitchen table.

"We are going to get together with Yoruichi and Tatsuki." Rukia replied before Ichigo could muster an answer. "We won't be back until fairly late, so don't wait up for us."

"We won't, we have, ahh, plans of our own." Isshin stammered.

"Hah hah, I'm sure you do." Rukia called back as they reached the front door. All too soon it seemed to Ichigo the had reached Tatsuki's front door. "So, this is the last chance to change your mind." Rukia looked at Ichigo, smiling as he gathered himself, knowing full well that it was too late to back out now.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to knock on the door?" Ichigo playfully fired back, enjoying seeing Rukia taken down slightly after teasing him.

The door opened and Tatsuki shook her head, having caught the preceding exchange between Rukia and Ichigo. "So why don't you two come on inside," Tatsuki chuckled, following behind Ichigo and Rukia as they came inside. "We don't have to worry about any interruptions my parents are out of town on business again and Koji is spending the night with his girlfriend at a hotel so we have the house to ourselves. Yoruichi figured that we could eat before we get started." Despite her calm demeanor Tatsuki was extremely nervous, she had needed all day to prepare herself for this once she knew that it was really going to happen. Dinner passed quickly, with the small talk deliberately avoiding what came next. Once the meal wrapped up and the table cleared the inevitable could be put off no more.

"Tatsuki, Yoruichi, can I talk to you for a second?" Rukia told them what she had in mind and they both agreed. All three of them slipped off their clothes and slipped back into the living room. Rukia stopped behind Ichigo and pulled the blindfold she had been holding over his eyes. She whispered into his ear, "just relax and enjoy this." For his part Ichigo thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest. He felt three pairs of hands pulling his clothes off, caressing his chest, back and just about everything else. Despite being completely exposed he was fully aroused, and soon he was lost as he felt first one then two and finally three sets of lips on his swollen shaft. Getting this kind of attention from Rukia was usually enough to send chills down his spine, the ministrations from three women simply sent him right over the edge much sooner than normal.

"**Ohhh GOD!! AHHHHHHHH!!!**" Ichigo called out as he came, feeling as though his climax lasted for days. It was so powerful that he literally saw stars. Freeing himself of the blindfold Ichigo looked down to see three faces smiling up at him, each liberally splattered with his seed. Looking at Rukia he said, "Your one to talk, calling me a letch."

"Well if the shoe fits, after all I think you enjoyed that." With those words Rukia wiped his cum from her face and swallowed it adding, "besides I'm a much bigger perv than you could ever be." With that She turned and licked the warm fluid off of Tatsuki and Yoruichi, moving on to her breasts once she had finished with her face. "Mmmmm, tasty, what do you think?"

Yoruichi wiped off the cum that Rukia had missed and tasted it, "I think I will want more of that later." She laughingly remarked, looking down onto Rukia as she continued to tease Yoruichi's ample bust with her tongue and lips.

"I guess you are a little pervert, now I think I'll have a little perverted fun of my own making." Ichigo said as he reached down and pulled Tatsuki up to her feet. Taking in her naked form he understood why so many people found her attractive, much like Rukia she had a petite frame and a lithe figure. The main difference between them was that Tatsuki was more toned and muscular from years of hard karate training and competition. Their eyes met and for a moment neither of them could speak, finally Tatsuki broke the silence between them not with words but with action, leaning forward and kissing Ichigo, fulfilling a desire that she had been holding back for years. For his part Ichigo pulled Tatsuki down into his lap.

"Rukia has changed you, I thought I was going to have to take the lead." Tatsuki whispered playfully as she positioned herself to join with Ichigo. She slowly began to lower herself onto him when she stopped, as she heard a moan from behind her. "Well they certainly aren't holding back." Tatsuki remarked as Yoruichi and Rukia were rather energetically coupled together, each busily devouring the other. "Mmmmm, that's it..." Tatsuki sighed as Ichigo gently sucked on her breasts while his hands slid down and took hold of her shapely bottom. Focusing once more on her own activities Tatsuki fully took Ichigo inside herself, this prompting a slight groan from beneath her.

"Damn your tight." Ichigo was surprised by how tightly the walls of Tatsuki's womanhood gripped him.

"Well you're pretty big." Tatsuki breathed, beginning to slowly rock her hips in time with Ichigo's thrusts. Soon they had settled into a comfortable rhythm, both of them allowing their pleasure to slowly build, neither of them wishing too climax yet. As they lazily continued, Ichigo shifted part of his focus to watching Yoruichi and Rukia. Rukia was new to pleasuring another woman but she figured correctly that it was best to simply do what worked for her. She circled Yoruichi's swollen nub with her tongue, occasionally lightly dragging it across and in doing so eliciting a shiver and moan from above her. Rukia was slightly taken aback by just how wet Yoruichi had become, she was pretty sure that she was in fact lying in a puddle of her honey. What came next was a real surprise, Yoruichi began to, purr? Tatsuki had also been watching and listening to more than her own and Ichigo's moans. "She is going to cum soon, ahhhhh," she moaned, speeding up as she felt her first orgasm approaching.

Ichigo took the hint and sped up, Tatsuki's ragged breathing spurring him onward. Sure enough she began to tense as her orgasm began to build the words that came fro her a surprise to Ichigo.

"Inside, I want you to cum inside me," she urged, wanting, needing to feel his hot essence inside of her.

"Are, you sure?" Ichigo grunted, barely holding on.

"Yes, do it inside me.." Tatsuki commanded in a weak voice, already beginning to climax, which now overtook her. "**OOOHHHHH, ICHIGO!!!!!**" she screamed as her sex quivered and pulsated with a massive orgasm.

The feeling of her tight walls pulsating furiously was a new sensation to Ichigo, which snatched away the last of his control, "**I'M CUMMING!!**" Any qualms he may have felt about Tatsuki's earlier demand were lost in the bliss that overtook him as he reached his peak for the second time in less than an hour.

"UNNNNHH, ahhh, unnnnhh" Tatsuki moaned, the feeling of having a man cum inside her was a first, one that drew out her first orgasm and dragged her along into another. Finally she began to come down, shivering she hugged Ichigo and his lips once more found hers. They continued to explore each other's mouths, then they turned their attention to the other two people in the room. "Yoruichi is just about to cum, you can tell by the way she is whimpering and curling her toes. Sure enough Yoruichi began to shake, and losing her strength, she fell onto Rukia, who happily continued to lick her partners dripping center.

Rukia noticed that the room was suddenly quiet except for the sounds of her tongue on Yoruichi's sex. Stopping she asked no one in particular, "so do I get to cum or not? Every one else has, and at least two of you twice."

Tatsuki laughed and answered, "oh don't worry, we will see to it that you cum plenty. Ichigo come with me for a minute." Her words were more of an order rather than a request.

"OK, I'm right behind you." Ichigo answered warily as he followed Tatsuki up stairs to her room, where she began to rummage through the closet. To his surprise Ichigo found that he was still hard, usually he would be done, at least for a little while. Maybe it was all the naked women, or maybe it was the sounds, or the smells maybe? Presently he was pulled from his reverie by Tatsuki's voice.

"That should be everything, if you could get that box right there." She pointed to medium sized but fairly light box. They returned to the living room, finding that Yoruichi was seeing to Rukia as she sat perched on the edge of the coffee table. From the look on her face it was obvious that Rukia on the ragged edge, and with a moan she to found release. Tatsuki watched, knowing from experience just how good of a lover Yoruichi was, and sure enough she soon had Rukia cumming again. "In here," Tatsuki said, leading Ichigo into the dining room where she upended the box she had been carrying, revealing a sizable pile of sex toys. "Now where to start?" Tatsuki's mumbled to herself.

Ichigo opened the box he had been carrying, finding that it was full of clothes. Holding up a maid costume, a _crotchless_ maid costume he asked. "Just what are these for anyway?"

"Well, tonight is all about trying new and different things so Yoruichi suggested that maybe we might want to try a little cosplay. As for this stuff," as Tatsuki held up a large dildo, "well it uses are pretty obvious, we have already tried out most of the toys, but a couple of them are new." She picked up one the two strap ons and put it on, carrying the other to Yoruichi, who was now sitting on the couch, talking to Rukia.

Turning to Tatsuki, Yoruichi saw what she was carrying and a grin appeared o her face. "Oh, I think I know what you have in mind, hey Ichigo why don't put Rukia into what your holding before we get going again."

"Sure, but first tell me just what it is your planning." Yoruichi walked over and whispered to Ichigo so Rukia would remain in the dark, then she and Tatsuki left to finish getting ready. A lecherous smile painted Ichigo's visage. Helping the still shaking Rukia to her feat Ichigo soon had her dressed in the maid outfit, adding another dimension to the perversion that was about to take place. When they returned Ichigo sat down on the couch and smiled the smile of a man who was about to do something that all men wanted to do but precious few ever had the chance.

It was Yoruichi who spoke first, "what do wish us to do master?" The only difference between her and Tatsuki's outfits and Rukia's was the addition of the toys between their legs.

"Hmmm, I think that Yoruichi can take Rukia from the front and Tatsuki can go from behind." Leaning back he watched as Tatsuki began to kiss Rukia's neck, dragging her tongue along, down onto her chest, suckling her exposed nipples, while at the same time Yoruichi's hands began to tease the edges of her opening, reawaken the flow of nectar that had only recently ended. Yoruichi maneuvered them to the open area in front of the TV, allowing Tatsuki to lie on the floor, where Yoruichi lowered Rukia down, slowly letting her descend onto Tatsuki's dildo.

After a moment spent gathering herself Rukia managed to utter to Yoruichi, "go ahead, I'm ready."

With those words Yoruichi used her left hand to guide the toy into Rukia's entrance. Once inside she turned back toward Ichigo, "What should I do now master?"

"You know what to do, so get to doing it." Ichigo offered lightly.

"Yes master." Yoruichi began to thrust in and out, using her right hand rub her own clit while her left hand found Rukia's. The sound was almost too much for Yoruichi, the rhythmic sound of Rukia being violated from both directions along with all of their other activities meant that little was needed to drive her over the edge yet again. What did it was when she suddenly felt her own center filled as Ichigo entered her from behind. The makers of the strap on had left an ever so convenient opening for just such a purpose. "**HHHHAHHHH, Ichigo, not ye...not yet,**" she begged. It was too much, she felt the same type of massive orgasm building up that Tatsuki had managed to give her on the night of Ichigo and Rukia's engagement party.

"No, I think now is just about the perfect time don't you think so?" Ichigo had to suppress a laugh, he didn't think that Yoruichi had been expecting him to take this aggressive of a lead, and this was her idea too. He knew exactly what to do to give her an earth shattering climax, since there really were no secrets between himself and Tatsuki. He removed Yoruichi's hand from her clit and placed it on Rukia's thigh. "You take care of her, and I will see to you."

"Y...Yesss mas...master," she managed to reply in a ragged voice. She knew what was coming, other than herself at least. Concentrating as best she could she continued to thrust into Rukia, her pace now being set by Ichigo's thrusting. Clamping onto Rukia's right breast she began to suck with the desperation of a thirsting man in the desert, trying to hold off as long as possible. But Ichigo's renewed attention to her clit was simply to much, the world faded to white and she could only moan and utter incoherently as the orgasm overtook her, soaking her three partners and the carpet beneath them. Her frenzied thrusting, spurred on by Ichigo's set loose a chain reaction that sent Rukia and Tatsuki into orgasms of their own. Ichigo pulled himself free as the girls disentangled from each other. They laid on their backs, collectively trying to catch their breathe when suddenly a shadow loomed over them.

"Master is disappointed he didn't get to finish, but master can be self sufficient too." And with those words a steady stream of hot fluid began to fall onto the three panting women, one that seemed to last much longer than it should.

"Wow, so much," Rukia mused as the erotic shower began to tapper off. "But your still all worked up," she added, now kneeling facing her lover, why don't we try to take care of that?"

"That sounds great," Ichigo pulled Rukia to her feet, and seeing that for the moment both Tatsuki and Yoruichi were finished. "Oh, so you want it that way? I can do that." He happily chirped, seeing that Rukia was in her favorite position, on the edge of the couch with her knees drawn up under her body, leaning forward. Ichigo was about to enter Rukia when the one thing they hadn't been expecting managed to appear in the form of a ringing doorbell. Frozen where he stood Ichigo looked at Tatsuki who was desperately trying to find some way to make herself presentable.

That was going to be hard as she was wearing a cum covered maid outfit that failed to cover all of the parts that polite society demanded be covered. Which in combination with the flapping strap on made for a laughable scene as she ran about trying to gather herself. Finally she sprinted into the bathroom, discarded the dildo, pulled on a robe and wet her hair so that it appear as though she had been in the bath. Sprinting to the door she looked through the peephole and let out a small groan. Opening the door slightly Tatsuki hoped this wouldn't take long. "What's up Chizuru?" What in the hell was she doing here, and why now, Tatsuki silently fumed, knowing that she should have just ignored the bell and waited for whoever it was to just go away.

"I was hust passing by and I wanted to apologize for calling you butch all those times." Chizuru slurred slightly, Tatsuki now noticing the smell of alcohol and the flush of Chizuru's face. "Come on why don't we fool around a little, that girlfriend of yours doesn't have to find out, besides my tits are just as big as her's are." With these words Chizuru opened her blouse to reveal the tiny bra that struggled to hold back her heaving bust.

"Come on over here and sit down," said Tatsuki wearily as she guided Chizuru into the kitchen. "Wait here and I will call you a cab home." As she went to fetch her phone Tatsuki noticed that Rukia and Ichigo hadn't let Chizuru's appearance stop them for long, Yoruichi was watching them and lazily playing with herself. "You had better keep it down, how in the hell would we explain all of this?" Tatsuki asked, gesturing to the scene around her.

"Well we had better come up with something because she is right behind you babe." Yoruichi noted with a nonchalant tone.

"Um, uh, well you see..." Tatsuki desperately tried to from a coherent explanation and failed spectacularly.

"Yoruichi in my purse, toward the bottom..." Rukia offered.

"Right, I'll take care of it." Yoruichi noted as she cut off the rest of Rukia's thought. After a bit of rummaging sure enough it was there. Walk briskly up to Chizuru she turned to Tatsuki, "close your eyes, Chizuru," she added turning back to the confused and disbelieving girl, "look at this." POOF! With that Chizuru collapsed, her memories of what she had seen now replaced by a new and completely false memory. "Go ahead and call for that cab, and make it quick so we don't have to change her memory again once she wakes up, she should be out of it for a little while yet."

Five minutes later Tatsuki was maneuvering a groggy Chizuru into the back of a cab. "Just take her to this address, and if you could text me at that number once you get her home." Tatsuki added as she handed over the address and money for the ride.

"Sure that won't be a problem, she is going to be feeling it in the morning though. She isn't the first and certainly won't be the last either." The cabby noted with a chuckle and a wry shake of the head.

Shaking her head Tatsuki went back inside and found Yoruichi lying atop Rukia. As Ichigo continued to thrust in and out of Rukia he used his hands to tease Yoruichi. "Am I going to have to wait for my turn or what?"

"No, get on the back of the couch and I'll take care of you." Yoruichi offered.

Shedding the robe and maid costume underneath, sliding down in front of Yoruichi, and being rewarded with her careful and skilled attentions. Tatsuki was having trouble enjoying Yoruichi's ministrations, as she kept wanting to lean back, but if she did so she would simply tumble onto the floor. "Damn, this isn't going to work," she muttered and attempted to reposition herself, whatever it was when she moved a spark shot up her spine, for a fifth time she was pitched over the edge and into the bottomless sea of pleasure. **"HAH!!AHH, MORE..." **she cried as wave after wave crashed over her as Yoruichi maintained her attack on Tatsuki's dripping center. And so the night continued, an endless series of couplings and climaxes, lasting until the pale light of dawn began to peek through the windows.

"We had better clean this place up." Yoruichi observed, taking in the discarded toys, clothes, costumes, overturned furniture and the mess their combined effluences had made.

"Yeah, but I think a shower is in order first." Ichigo noted, as they all glistened with sweat and other bodily fluids.

"Too right, you and Rukia can go first. If you don't mind after that you can go grab us some breakfast and then we can straighten out this disaster area." Tatsuki's last words being delivered with a sated grin.

"Ahhhhhh, alright." Ichigo answered with a yawn and a stretch. As he made his way toward the stairs he shook Rukia awake, "come on, time to get cleaned up."

"Mmm, ok, that was fun." Came the groggy reply. "So what do you think happened between Isshin and Miyoko last night?"

"Good question, well I have an idea but no definitive answer. I bet we will find out more once we see them, the old man sucks at hiding that sort of stuff."

The night had been good to other people and those other people were starting their day as well. "So I guess its like riding a bike huh, once you learn how to you never forget?" Miyoko teased as she watched Isshin get dressed.

"Yeah, but practice makes perfect." Was his playful reply, "and maybe I could use a little more practice."

"I think you got plenty last night, so hurry up I'm hungry."

"Ok, ok. I wonder how Karin and Yuzu will take this?" He was worried about that, they were good kids but despite all of that they were still just kids. Ichigo would probably just give him shit about it, but he wouldn't expect any less. I that regard they were rather alike, he and Ichigo.

"They'll be fine. It will require a little bit of an adjustment on their part but I think they can handle. So what do you want to do for breakfast?" Miyoko was famished after the previous nights activities which had been rather light on sleep to say the least.

"How does Toc's sound? We can take the girls along too" Isshin noted.

"Fine by me, we can take my car, after we eat I can drop the three of you off here and head for work."

"So that's the plan, I'll tell the girls and see you down stairs."

Ichigo reassured Rukia, "trust me this place is great, and they're pretty quick so we shouldn't have to wait for very long."

"Uh Ichigo is that Karin over there?" Rukia asked with a puzzled tone, pointing toward the parking lot behind them.

"It is, what is she doing here? Karin, what are you doing here?" Ichigo questioned his sister.

"We're here to get some breakfast, duh." Karin said as she shook her head, wondering where Ichigo and Rukia had been all night, but knowing that if she asked she probably wouldn't get an answer that would be worth anything.

Ichigo now saw his other sister, father and Miyoko approaching. Isshin and Miyoko were holding hands and generally acting like, well how he and Rukia acted sometimes. So that was another question answered, now maybe he could have a little fun at his old man's expense. Waiting until his father was in front of him he whispered into his ear, "did you manage to remember how it all fits together?" Ichigo had to work hard to hold back his laughter as Isshin struggled to find a response, finally Miyoko answered for him.

"Its not like its all that hard to figure out, besides some things get better with age." She offered, giving him a quick wink with her words.

"Anyway we need to hurry up, Tatsuki and Yoruichi are waiting for us." Rukia reminded her fiancee, not wanting to leave their friends twisting in the wind.

"So what were you two up two last night?" Isshin now had Ichigo hoist on his own petard.

Unflappably Ichigo answered, "we had dinner and with Yoruichi and Tatsuki at Tatsuki's place and then we just sort of hung out." He could easily spot the slightly disappointed look on Isshin's face since he had been expecting his question to have put him on the spot. "Anyway we promised that we would get stuff for everybody and they are waiting for us."

"So I'll see you two later then." Isshin noted as he and Miyoko went to join the waiting Karin and Yuzu.

Ichigo and Rukia followed behind them and after ordering and getting their food they started the short walk back to Tatsuki's. When they came through the door what they heard from the bathroom meant that Tatsuki had cum as well. "I'll let them know that were back," Rukia said with a chuckle while she sprinted up the stairs. Stepping into the bathroom she saw that Tatsuki and Yoruichi were still unaware of her presence. "So do you two want to eat something other than each other?"

"That would be just fine once I am done eating from this honey pot," Tatsuki laughed as she pulled away from Yoruichi long enough to answer. Once she had answered Rukia she returned to the afore mentioned honey pot and soon had Yoruichi's knees buckling as she climaxed for what had to be the thirtieth time in the last twelve or so hours.

Rukia shook her head and returned to the dining room where Ichigo had cleared off enough of the table so they could eat. Soon they were joined by Tatsuki and Yoruichi, now dressed and presentable.

"That was fun, we should do it again some time." Tatsuki brightly offered as she helped her self to some coffee. "What do you guys think?"

"I don't see why not, Ichigo you're a good, no great lover, almost as good as Urahara. Where did you learn some of those little tricks?" Yoruichi wondered aloud, floating along on a cloud that seemed like it would last for days.

Rukia looked at Ichigo, wanting to know the answer to the question that Yoruichi had asked. He had been ok their first time, but his skill had improved very rapidly indeed. She looked closely at Ichigo as he prepared to answer.

"The truth is that hat and clogs gave me a book, and well, it was more than a little helpful," he admitted a little sheepishly. "As for doing this again I wouldn't mind if Rukia doesn't."

"I wouldn't mind, it was nice being with a girl for a change." Rukia interjected.

"And I get some time to recover, if I tried to have sex again today I think I might need to ice it down." Ichigo finished, knowing that his horizons were indeed rather broader now. But how much broader could they become? There was a question to which he had no answer, and he supposed that no one did, he like any one else was incapable of seeing the future, and unfortunately the future held many more trials and tribulations for Ichigo and his friends. The beginning of one of those trials lay just ahead of him.


End file.
